A Blue Note Inside Me
by feebee17
Summary: Millie Brown has chosen a career on the stage over policing, but DS Max Carter hasn't noticed. Can the DS find this 'Missing Person', and will he do so for her sake or for his own? A Mallie story.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own The Bill.

For MissLala and Faerienutmeg, and especially for Kate-Emma with thanks!

**Max and the Photo**

DS Max Carter had almost completely forgotten that such a person as PC Millie Brown existed. It was just the way his mind worked. If something, or more often than not, _someone_, was occupying his mind to such a degree that they became a distraction, he did his best to banish them from his thoughts. And Millie had been a troubling preoccupation in the weeks after his refusal to listen to her had led to her being kidnapped. But he and she hadn't really worked together much since then. As time went on and she made fewer and fewer appearances in the realm of his life's main focus (his work) the memory of her and the uncomfortable feelings associated with it had been all but erased.

It was a shock to him then to be suddenly reminded of her existence by the discovery of her picture amongst some papers in his desk. As if to mock his expulsion of her from his thoughts, the word 'MISSING' was printed along the bottom of the picture.

"I haven't seen Millie around recently", he said, more to himself than anyone in particular. His comment was overheard by Jo, Stevie and Eddie, who were congregated around Stevie's desk, seeming amused about something.

"You are hopeless!" replied Stevie, "Remember, she left the force a few months ago. We had a big send off for her…"

Stevie was cut off by Jo elbowing her in the ribs. "Er hem, Stevie," Stevie looked chastened and bit her lip.

"What? When was this? Why wasn't I told she was leaving?" said Max, suddenly smelling a rat. He paused and added, "And why didn't I hear about her send off?"

"Perhaps if you want someone to confide in you in future, you should avoid calling them stupid," Jo suggested.

"I never called Millie stupid!" Max was indignant, and the others had to turn away to hide their delight at having discovered that the normally invulnerable DS Carter actually had a soft spot.

"No use denying it mate, I heard you," Will joined the conversation. He'd kept quiet about how much Max's behaviour had annoyed him for so long, he wasn't going to miss a chance to cast it up to Max now. "It was the day she was kidnapped. Roger tried to tell you Millie had a point about Jade Hopkins, and you said something like her offering an opinion was like listening to the rule book being read, and that she didn't have much going on between her ears."

The memory flooded back to Max, "Yeah, I said that to Roger, not to Millie. And anyway, I was just letting off steam. I thought Jade was playing her. I didn't think she was being logical."

"She was right though," Jo said under her breath to Stevie and Eddie. Aloud to Max she said, "Speaking of not being logical, think about this: if someone is in the same room as you, there's a good chance they might hear what you're saying."

To Will the incident went beyond simple Max-baiting and he wasn't about to stop having a go at Max yet. "I will never forget the look on her face. At first it was like, stunned disbelief. Then there was such a look of, I don't know, hurt, betrayal? I couldn't believe what you said! Poor Millie, who'd always given you the benefit of the doubt. Here she is thinking 'the great detective' had taken her on as, like, his protégé, and then she overhears what you say about her to other people…"

"It's no wonder she quit the force," said Stevie. The look from Jo told her that perhaps she had gone too far.

"Are you saying it's my fault she left?" Max was getting angry now.

"Well, to a degree, maybe," conceded Jo. "But apparently she's doing really well at her new job." She added this in an attempt to soften the blow.

"No surprise really, she's very talented," said Eddie, who then smiled and murmured, "and good to look at as well."

Grace, who had been sitting in the corner silently throughout this exchange got up and said "Anyway Max, she's gone now, so don't let it worry you. You can't do anything to change it. Maybe you can just be glad she's happy."

With this she walked towards the door, and held it open purposefully until somehow everyone felt that the conversation was finished and that they should all get back to work.

**Millie and the Sausage**

_An exhausted Millie was woken in the early morning by the sound of someone moving about her bedroom. She opened one eye to the half-light and smiled._

_"Time to go to work hey?"_

_"Sorry darling, I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep and I'll call you later."_

_With this he bent down and kissed her on the forehead. Millie had drifted back to sleep before he pulled the front door locked behind him._

Millie woke up again at 11 that Monday morning. She got out of bed, put on her robe and fluffy slippers and stretched. God she was glad it was her 'weekend'! Every inch of her ached from dancing and wearing those ridiculous stiletto shoes and boots all night at work.

She opened up the curtains of her flat to the sunny spring morning. No need for her to go anywhere today. She put her coffee pot on the stove and started to cook herself an extra big breakfast. Dancing and singing all night (and of course having a new and enthusiastic lover to come home with) really made one work up an appetite!

Millie sat down at her table, poured her coffee and spread out the newspaper to read while she ate. She broke the yolk of her egg with some toast and nibbled the toast. Next she stabbed a sausage with her fork and held the end to her mouth to take a bite of it. Her eyes moved from the paper she was reading to the sausage and she lowered her fork back to her plate. She smiled to herself when she thought what people would think if she told them that a sausage made her think of Max Carter. Actually, it just made her mind wander back to a particular sausage breakfast she'd sacrificed over a year ago…

At first she had thought missing out on her breakfast was worth it to have him smile and wink at her for letting him take her place in the queue. They had worked together a few times before, and apart from the fact she found him so attractive, he had a way of making her feel like he singled her out as well. Admittedly his attentions were never long lasting, and he had bruised her feelings slightly at times with the way in which his mind could shift so quickly onto the next thing, but she enjoyed thinking of herself as someone he relied on. He didn't really seem to have anyone else at Sun Hill he got on well with, so it touched her that he seemed to turn to her when he needed help with something.

There was a robbery that day, and Max was the SIO. Millie was excited at the prospect of spending a day working with him. However, she had challenged Max's assessment of a suspect, and Max had been pretty harsh in expressing his disagreement to her. But the fatal blow had been when she overheard Max talking to Roger, who had been trying to tell Max that perhaps she was right.

She couldn't believe her ears. It was not so much what Max said that was so devastating to her. She knew his opinions could be dismissive and limited by the fact that in Max's mind crimes were often scripted affairs with all the players cast in specified roles. And she had enough faith in her own intelligence not to be shaken by an offhanded comment. Of course, it hurt that he apparently thought so little of her. But what really stung her was the fact that when he spoke he hadn't even noticed that she was there. Here she'd been believing she was special to him, but he had absolutely no sense of her presence near him, no awareness that she'd been at his side only second's before and might overhear what he said. And even if the possibility of her overhearing him had entered his mind, he didn't seem to care that what he said might hurt her.

Millie wished she had a reason to just go home, where she could crawl into bed and cover her head with the blankets and hide from the world and cry. What a fool she'd been! As she sat in the next team briefing, she felt like everyone was looking at her, pitying her, knowing that any feelings she had for Max were never going to be reciprocated. She could feel Roger's eyes on her. She knew he was only looking out for her, but she felt he could read what she was thinking.

She tried to pay attention to what was being said, but she couldn't bring herself to look at the board where Max was standing, talking away, once again oblivious to anything she might be feeling. Bastard. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. He was wrong. She knew he was wrong. Fuck it, she'd prove he was wrong. She had opinions, and she wasn't going to let this join-the-dots detective shut her up….

Millie grabbed her knife and made herself feel better by hacking her sausage into pieces.


	2. Chapter 2

**Max and Roger**

Later that morning, Max encountered Roger in the corridor. Roger acknowledged Max with a nod. He didn't go so far as to be friendly, because to be perfectly honest, he didn't much like Max. He had never quite trusted him, and since Max's behaviour towards Millie last year he had given himself license to stir Max up a bit. Max could not help but notice Roger's occasionally disrespectful attitude towards him as a senior officer, but in this case he felt Roger might be his most discreet and honest source of information about Millie.

"Say Roger," Max scratched his lip with his thumb nail as he spoke, "I heard today that Millie left the force…"

"About four months ago, Sarge." Roger was incredulous that Max had only just realised. He was glad poor Millie wasn't around to hear that!

"So what's the story there? Why did she leave?"

"I don't know. I guess she didn't feel it was the right job for her." Roger avoided letting Max think it might have had something to do with him. He felt Max was egocentric enough as it was.

"Do you think, the ah, kidnapping had anything to do with it?"

"I'm sure it contributed Sarge." Roger continued to play it cool.

"I'm disappointed she didn't feel she could come and talk to me about it. I thought we'd worked well together, before all of that."

"She talked it over with Smithy, I think that was the right thing to do."

"Of course," said Max. "So do you hear from her? What's she doing now?"

"No, she doesn't really talk to anyone from Sun Hill from what I understand." Too many bad associations, Roger added in his head. "As to what she's doing, she sings in clubs around town. She's made quite a go of it apparently, had no trouble getting work. Of course she'd been a singer before she was a copper. I guess policing didn't let her express her creative side."

"Good for her. I didn't know she was musical."

_What did you actually know about her Sarge_, Roger wanted to ask, _apart from the fact she was good to look at and willing to tolerate you?_ Out loud he said "Not much opportunity to show her talents off around here really, except those karaoke nights at the pub." He smiled at the memory of how happy being on stage seemed to make Millie.

"Rodge, do you know why Millie didn't invite me to her send off?" Max blurted out the question he really wanted to ask quickly before he changed his mind about asking it.

Roger sighed. "It wasn't Millie, it was Sally who didn't want to invite you to the farewell. Millie had no idea you weren't invited. Sally just thought you'd upset her. To be honest, I've felt bad ever since about not inviting you myself. I didn't think it was Sally's decision to make. But at the time, for Millie's sake I thought…"

"Thanks Roger," Max turned and hurried away before Roger could see his reaction. He was a bit surprised how relieved it made him that Millie hadn't hated him so much that she didn't even want to say goodbye to him.

Left alone in the corridor, Roger remembered the evening of Millie's farewell. It was a great night really. Everyone was there (bar one person of course); their section, CID and even the super. Roger remembered Neil and Jack talking while Millie sang. "Millie's a lovely looking girl," Jack had said, and Roger remembered the amused look exchanged by Jo and Stevie at Jack turning into a 'dirty old man' once he'd had a drink.

His most vivid memory was a downhearted Millie looking towards the door hopefully. "Are you sure you invited Max?" she asked Roger.

"I'm sure Sally invited everyone," he replied. He couldn't bring himself to lie to her outright.

"I had made up my mind I was going to make my peace with him before I left," sighed Millie. "It looks like he just didn't care enough to even make an appearance."

"Oh Millie," Sally said, slipping her arms around Millie's shoulders. "It's just as well to know what he's really like."

"You're right," said Millie, "I'm going to get another drink and have one last night dancing with my boys." She indicated Nate, Will and Leon.

"Are you sure we've done the right thing?" Roger asked Sally after Millie had left.

"Yes I am. She needed to get over him Rodge. And obviously she needed our help to do so. She would have just kept on hoping if she'd seen him. Really, we did the kindest thing."

Roger wished he could share Sally's confidence.

**Millie's Dilemma**

After her meal, shower and various household duties, Millie sat down at her piano for her daily singing practice. Her choice of material was maudlin. Her renditions of standards like Cry Me a River, I Got it Bad (And That Ain't Good) etc were particularly heartfelt that day. Although it was some release to belt them out, singing them only seemed to reinforce the sense of her insignificance to Max that had resurged with her memories. She thought to herself bitterly that Max probably didn't even realise she could sing. She had a single dimension to him, and that was as a support player. He had no idea that she had had a life before him, and what really hurt was that he probably wouldn't have cared anyway. She found herself getting more and more despondent. She had to think of another way to fill her day until John called and came over that night. So instead of staying at home as had been her intention, alone with these thoughts, Millie decided to occupy herself by going shopping.

One thing she liked about her new lifestyle was that she didn't have to wear that boring uniform everyday. Shopping and buying nice things that she could actually make use of had become a regular pleasure for her. Once she had lost all hope of anything happening with Max she had found her social life began to open up again. It became a joke amongst the Relief that every time they went out, some guy made a move on Millie. Millie enjoyed the attention, she hadn't had so much of it since her pre-policing days when she hung around with other musicians, and hadn't been holding off on other relationships because of the looming notion of saving yourself for 'The One'. She went out, she drank, she flirted, she had affairs. And as this happened the idea of being a police officer became less appealing.

The real test for Millie had come when she bumped into one of her kidnappers, Mick Jones, who was newly released from prison and drug free. Liv Till and Si Jones had borne the brunt of the responsibility for the kidnapping and robbery (largely due to Millie's testimony) and Mick's sentence was in comparison quite short. Her feelings about Mick were of course mixed. He had, after all, held her a gunpoint and kept her gagged and bound to a chair. But the more she observed and talked to him that night, the more she found herself sympathising with and actually _liking_ him. After her run in with Max that day, she had basically just wanted to get home, get drunk and forget about what an idiot she'd made of herself over him. And there was Mick, this criminal, who seemed strangely concerned about her, and showed an admirable protective instinct towards his brother as well. She couldn't deny she thought he was kind of cute and he seemed to be attracted to her too. When she met Mick again and he suggested they have a coffee together, Millie said yes. She wasn't going to adopt the Max Carter view of people and see them as either good or bad. Mick had shown her that he could be kind and loyal, and she needed to prove to herself that she wasn't one of those 'once a crim, always a crim' officers like... you know who. So when it came time for them to part and he had bent down to kiss her, she had responded and they'd spent the night together. In the light of the morning Millie realised she had perhaps been unwise and had put her whole career at risk. But Mick seemed to understand that this was as far as it would ever go with them. They farewelled each other knowing they would be walking out of each other's lives forever.

All of these things left her longing for the carefree days of her life before the police force. Her next day at work she had knocked on Inspector Smith's door told him she wasn't sure if she was cut out to be a police officer. Inspector Smith said that perhaps she should take some time off to think things through. He said he had noticed that the meticulousness that had been the hallmark of her work seemed to have slipped a bit in recent times, and she'd been late more often than usual, "but that just makes you like everyone else in the Relief," he said. "You're a good copper Millie. Don't go jumping to any rash decisions just because you've had a bad experience." Millie said she would continue to think about things for a little while longer then, she just felt she should give him a head's up in case she did decide to quit.

When Millie had left his office, Smithy sat and thought about what she'd said. He'd sensed that Millie's mind was already made up about leaving, and he was sure she was making a mistake. She was good at her job. She was thorough and level-headed and everyone had been impressed by the way she'd negotiated the situation with her kidnappers. Smithy noticed Roger passing by, and called him in. As Roger was the officer who had partnered Millie on the day of her kidnapping, Smithy asked him his opinion of its effect on Millie. Roger was hesitant to talk at first, but once Smithy had convinced him nothing would be repeated to Millie, Roger opened up, and also told him about what DS Carter had said and how Millie had reacted strongly to that.

Smithy dismissed Roger, frowned, and then made his way up to CID. He felt he had to make DI Manson aware of Max's behavior, seeing as Max was one of his team. Neil was in his office and gestured for Smithy to sit down.

"Did you know," Smithy said, "That one of your senior officers said, in the hearing of the young PC in question, that she was unimaginative and not very smart?"

Neil rubbed his eyes with his hands. God he was sick of taking care of Max's people issues. "OK, when was this?"

"The night the PC in question was taken at gunpoint and held hostage along with the sister of…"

"Say no more. He said this to Millie, right? I could see that they were really going at each other over that case, but I thought it was some sort of lover's tiff."

"Is there something going on there?" asked Smithy.

"Not that I'm aware of, but I think it's been pretty clear that most people wouldn't have been surprised if there was. They are certainly reactive to each other. Well, what do you want me to do about it?"

"I don't know there's much that you can do. My problem is that now PC Brown has come to me saying she wants to leave the force. And I think that would be a shame. She really proved herself that on that case …"

"I couldn't agree more. I was very impressed by her handling of things that night, and I think that a lot of people underestimated her." He was thinking not just of Max but of Inspector Weston as well. "Look Smithy, would you mind if I had a talk to Millie about this? I have a lot of sympathy for her, being a quiet achiever myself." Neil said this with a slight upturn at one side of his mouth.

"Sure. I'll send her up to you when the opportunity arises. And oh," Smithy said with a wink as he stood up, "Try and keep Max away from her."

"That's a better option than what I'd come up with that night, which was handing them some cash and saying, "Here's money for a hotel room, now don't come back till you've got this out of your system!"

Smithy left the room laughing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Max**

"Millie doesn't hate me. Millie doesn't hate me." The happiness and relief these words brought Max as they repeatedly danced through his head were really beginning to annoy him. Why should he care what Millie thought of him? As Grace had said, it didn't matter what she thought; she was gone. Workmates come and go, and having alienated just about everyone he'd ever worked with at some time or other had never really worried him before.

But Millie had not just simply moved on to another station – she had actually quit the police force. Possible motivations for such an act were beyond Max's comprehension. Quite frankly, given the choice between either surviving the kidnapping on the condition of leaving the force or simply be killed, he would be begging the kidnappers to shoot him pronto. To Max there was simply nothing beyond policing. Anyway, he had always found Millie a little hard to fathom.

He remembered the first time he had spotted the pretty new redheaded PC in the canteen. He was very impressed! In the midst of his checking her out, she had looked up and met his eye, and given him the type of smile that if he had been out at a pub or something, he would have moved in on her quite certain he was in for a night of easy, non-committal sex. However, this was work and this type of distraction was something he was not looking for on this sacred turf. He didn't respond to her smile. Another glance over her way revealed her looking somewhat perplexed, perhaps that her usual sure-fire charm hadn't worked this time. When he had actually got to meet her face-to-face she seemed nothing like the confident woman he had first encountered. She seemed uncertain around him, even slightly in awe. But Max didn't analyse this. It served him well enough that she was obedient and obliging when he needed her help on a case.

Until the day of the toyshop robbery. He was sure she was wrong about Jade Hopkins and he told her so. He was convinced he had sussed out the whole scenario within the first couple of hours after the robbery, and he just had to straighten a few points out in his head. Instead of acting to form and stepping back to leave him with his thoughts, Millie seemed to turn into something like a buzzing fly in his ear, questioning him, never letting up. Gee she had annoyed him, but he managed to keep his cool, remembering that she didn't have his experience (or brains, as he believed) and as her superior officer, he had kept his patience and calmly told her again and again she was wrong.

Then she ended up being right. And her conviction that she was right had put her in serious danger. He could see that although they didn't blame him outright, everyone was annoyed at him for not listening to Millie. Neil Manson rolled his eyes. Roger bombarded him with jibe after jibe. Just about everyone else was polite but cold. And then they found her jacket covered in blood…

Max took off his jacket and threw it down beside him as he flopped onto his couch. He closed his eyes and massaged his neck. It was good to be home. Maybe he could lose himself in a bad late movie. He reached over to get his TV guide, but his eyes fell first onto his jacket, and he saw something sticking out of a pocket. He couldn't believe it. How did the damn photo end up in his pocket? He must have just forgotten to put it down after he found it. It had probably been in his pocket all day then. Max hoped to God that no one else had noticed he was carrying it with him.

He decided to face the inevitable. OK, all I have to do is look at this picture and remind myself Millie's not in my life any more, he told himself. Then I can get these stupid thoughts out of my head and move on. Immediately on looking at the photo he realised he was kidding himself. He wondered who had decided to use this particular photo of Millie on the day of her kidnapping and concluded it must have been Roger. It had obviously been chosen deliberately to torture him. It really was a good photo, not just because of how beautiful Millie looked in it, but also because it was somehow so expressive. The eyes were the thing. They stared straight back at you, but there was a sense of vulnerability there as well. Looking at it took Max back to the day of the kidnapping, when he'd had a moment by himself to focus on the picture. It was the closest he had ever come to looking Millie in the eyes, as normally when she spoke to him her eyes would be down-turned, only gazing up timidly to meet his every so often. But looking at Millie's picture that day spoke to him of everything he felt she must be feeling: fear, sorrow - and as he looked longer he began to get a sense of indignation coming through. It was unsettling. The spell had been broken by Will entering the room.

Max sighed. Here Millie was again, still looking at him, still 'missing' and seeming to blame him for it. Max slipped the picture into a book, and slammed its covers shut.

**Millie and Neil**

Neil Manson sat as his desk, much as he had been doing the day he had had that conversation with Smithy. There was a knock at the door, but this time it was Grace.

"Come in", Neil said.

"Sir, here's some paperwork I need you to look through before I finalise it. Oh, and I thought I'd mention, most of CID were talking before about Millie Brown, and it turns out Max had no idea that she was no longer working here."

"Typical," said Neil with a slight laugh. "Poor Millie. Anything else?"

"Nothing at the moment Sir."

"OK, thanks Grace."

"Guv," Grace nodded as she pulled the door closed behind her.

Neil remained seated, his hands clasped together with his forefingers extended as he rhythmically pressed them to his lips. His mind drifted back to his conversation with Millie.

"Sir, you wanted to see me?"

"Come in Millie and sit down." Millie seated herself opposite him at his desk. "Now, Inspector Smith tells me you are thinking of leaving the police force. Why?"

Millie was surprised Smithy had involved DI Manson in this. "Well Sir, basically because I just don't know if I'm cut out for the job."

"If you don't mind me asking, does your decision have anything to do with some tactless comments made by DS Carter?"

This distressed Millie. She had no idea that what Max had said to her that day was this well known, and it embarrassed her. She decided to play dumb. "Sir?"

DI Manson looked across the desk at her, "I won't make you answer that if it makes you uncomfortable. But I just want to say that I know what it's like when people assume that you are less inspired about your work because you are quiet and methodical. I wouldn't pay any attention to what Max said"

The tears came to Millie's eyes, "The thing is Sir, that he was entirely right! Look what I did! I went out and got myself kidnapped! I caused everyone all that trouble…"

"PC Brown," said Neil gently, 'Listen to me. Yes, you got yourself in trouble. But, Jade would have been kidnapped anyway, and she would have been alone, and things could have so easily got out of control without you there and she could have been killed. Or the kidnappers could have been killed. Everyone came out of it safely because of you."

Millie wiped her eyes.

"I know you were angry at Max that day, and you probably still are. But you have to remember that you are part of a team here, and you'll be able to work a lot better with everyone if you try not to take things personally. What I am saying Millie is that you have to move on from your anger at Max. At least give the job another chance after you have tried doing that."

"Thanks Sir, I'll think about it," said Millie, and she got up to leave. She was so tired and confused about what to do. But DI Manson was right. Before she could even think about leaving Sun Hill, she needed to talk things through with Max.


	4. Chapter 4

**More Torment for Max**

_CO19 and a few officers from Sun Hill surrounded the dingy concrete building, while the Hostage Negotiator attempted to make contact with the flat they were targeting. He got no reply. Max gave the order and CO19 stormed the flat._

_"All clear!" someone called. Max, Ben, Will and the rest of the officers entered the flat._

_"That's Millie's jacket," Ben said. Max moved it and was horrified to find the area underneath it covered in blood._

_"In here Sir," someone called from the kitchen. Max and his team went in. In the middle of the floor lay Millie. Lifeless. Blood and red hair contrasting with the white of her skin. Her eyes wide open. Max couldn't stop himself; he had to meet her gaze…_

Max woke up with a start. Another disturbed night, another dream in which he failed to find Millie in time. It had become a constant since the day he rediscovered that photo. He looked at the clock and scratched his head. Only half an hour until he had to be up, may as well get up and shower. He had a big day today. After work they were having a farewell party for Will Fletcher, who was leaving Sun Hill.

As he drove in to work it occurred to him that Millie and Will had been close. Perhaps she would make an appearance tonight? Max looked at himself in the rearview mirror and wished he'd had more sleep. Somehow it suddenly mattered to him what Millie would think of how he looked.

Once he got to the station he met Terry, and they walked through the yard together.

"Geez mate," said Terry, "You don't look much up to a late one tonight."

"I just couldn't sleep last night, not sure why," mumbled Max

"Should be a big crowd, seeing as Will's been with both uniform and CID."

"A few faces from the past, perhaps?" Max remembered Terry hadn't been there during the Millie discussion the other day.

Terry smothered a smile. The others had told him about their conversation. "Possibly. I hear Gina Gold and Dan Casper might be there."

"Any others?" Max asked. Subtlety be damned. "PC Brown perhaps?"

"Probably. After all, Will and she had a 'thing' didn't they?"

"What do you mean?"

"I think it was only one night, but they're still good friends."

He held the door to CID open for Max. "Hey Stevie," he yelled across the office. "Do you know if Millie's coming tonight? I'm right about her and Will having a history, aren't I?"

Stevie's eyes gleamed back at Terry. She looked at Jo, who had a similar look on her face. Stevie made a note to buy Terry a drink that night for handing her this golden opportunity.

"Yeah, that's right."

"Not just Will making it up?" Terry was keen to get the whole story out.

"No, actually, I heard it from Millie," said Stevie.

"Me too," Jo butted in. "She said she didn't continue it because the morning after Sally told her that Will was known as 'the kiss of death', you know because of Honey and Emma."

Max, who had grown up with a Polish grandmother and therefore couldn't help being a little superstitious, thanked God that he didn't know about this 'kiss of death' business when Millie was being held hostage.

Stevie continued. "Well, when I asked her about it she said that she figured he was the 'pretty boy' of the station, and thought she should get him out of the way in case there was someone here she really liked."

"Ha!" Jo snorted. This was all just too good. She walked over and stood opposite Max and looked at him across his desk. "You know what," she said softly, as if confiding in him, "I secretly hoped that someone could be me."

Max sank into his chair. It wouldn't have surprised him at all now if the next thing they told him was that Millie was actually gay. At this point Will walked in.

"The man himself," said Terry. "Hey Will, have you invited Millie tonight."

"Yeah, but she won't be coming, she works nights," responded Will. "And of course there are certain people she's not too keen on seeing..." here he glanced at Max. "She and I had lunch on Tuesday instead anyway."

Max's ears pricked up. Everyone else waited for him to say something, but he didn't, so Stevie stepped in.

"And how is Millie, Willie?" she asked.

"Great, doing really well. New flat, new job, new clothes. And looking great! The dancing's really toned her. Mind you, she always had a nice little body."

"You'd know that better then anyone else here," Terry spoke to Will, but winked at Max.

"Yeah, well," Will wasn't going to elaborate.

At this point they noticed DI Manson was standing at the door to his office. He looked at Max and frowned.

"All right, save the reminiscing till tonight everyone. Max, can I see you?"

Max followed Neil into his office.

"Max, you look terrible. What's going on?" Neil had never really seen eye to eye with Max, but in addition to having a duty of care he was genuinely concerned. It was clear Max was suffering.

Max sighed. "Nothing really Guv, I'm just not sleeping well."

"Look Max, I may not sit out there with the rest of you, but I get some idea of what's going on. Is it anything to do with PC Brown?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Well I guess from what's being said anyone would think there was something between you."

"Well there wasn't. Not from my side anyway."

Neil had himself seen Max and Millie, and something he had overheard Jo saying to Stevie once sprang into his mind. "Have you ever noticed how Max always talks very gently when he's talking to Millie? Anyone else he's just bark orders at, but with her it's almost like he wants an excuse to stand close to her." He was sure Millie liked Max, and everything he knew convinced him that Max liked Millie too, but Max just didn't realise. Neil had never felt he had much in common with Max. But, the inability to recognise your true feelings? He could relate to that.

"OK, well maybe it has more to do then with when PC Brown was kidnapped. It was obvious you were worried about Millie when she was being held hostage. And who wouldn't be?" Neil added diplomatically. In his head he substituted the words 'feeling guilty' where he'd said 'worried'.

"Yes, of course I was worried," Max could say this much without admitting anything about his feelings to either Neil or himself.

"Didn't you and Millie debrief when she was released?"

"I offered, but she turned me down."

"You know Max, I actually discussed the situation with Millie, and I know she had intended to talk things out with you at her farewell party. Why didn't you come?"

This news was bittersweet to Max. He sighed. "I talked to Roger about Millie's farewell, and apparently Sally decided not to invite me, because she thought I would just upset Millie."

Neil thought to himself that sometimes the whole 'dumb blonde' tag was well deserved. It would have been much better to let Millie work this out for herself. Sally was lucky she no longer worked at Sun Hill!

"Well Max, all I can say is I'm sorry. I think it would have been better for you two to have talked things through. Perhaps it helps a bit knowing that Millie wanted to sort things out?"

"Thanks Guv," Max was already half way out the door.

**Millie & Will's Lunch**

Feeling slightly seedy after another night at home by herself getting drunk (John had cancelled on her again - that was two Mondays in a row!), Millie sat at an outdoor table at the café waiting for Will. It was chilly, but sitting outside gave her an excuse to hide behind her sunglasses for a while longer. She had only been up an hour and was looking forward to a big greasy breakfast to settle her stomach. She waved and smiled when she saw Will.

"Hello gorgeous," Will said, stooping to kiss Millie on the cheek. She air-kissed him back. "What's with the movie star bit?"

"I had a bit too much wine last night," Millie replied. "Now where's that waitress?" Millie waved her hand in the air, and with a squeeze of his knee, returned her attention to Will. "So, how are you feeling? Excited? A little scared?"

"As you well know, I'm completely fearless. Trepidatious, I think is more the word."

Millie was pleased to see her 'Word a Day' desk calendar was being put to good use. Poor Will, she thought. Just like me he's constantly having to prove to people he's not dumb. The waitress appeared at last. Will ordered his sandwich and coffee.

"I'll have a black coffee and a fry up thanks, no sausages."

"That's right, leave off the sausages, otherwise you'd look like a bit of a pig," Will said teasing her. Millie had always impressed her workmates with her appetite.

"Couldn't stomach them this morning. Anyway, what's the news from Sun Hill? How's my lovely Roger?"

"Missing you. A bit hurt that you won't contact him. You should, you know."

"I know." Millie felt bad, but still felt she needed a bit of distance. Roger had seen the full extent of her foolishness over Max, and she really didn't want to be reminded of that.

"Any romance updates? Smithy and Stevie? Neil and Grace?"

"Same as ever. Seems like everyone at Sun Hill is single these days."

_Good, then Max isn't seeing anyone_, Millie thought to herself, then automatically hated herself for caring. Where was that coffee??

"One thing that might interest you though, your name came up recently in CID. Everyone's been teasing Max about you."

"What? What do you mean? Why would they tease Max about me?" Even after she had left it seemed she was still a laughingstock.

"Come on Mill, it's me you're talking to. You know there was a bit of a _frisson_ between you." There was the desk calendar at work again. "You're not telling me you weren't attracted to each other."

"Well, I can't answer for him…"

"No need to. The way he took the bait, every time! The whole thing gave me a chance to have a go at him about his behaviour towards you the day you were, you know…"

"Will, you didn't! What did you say?" Millie was feeling mortified.

"Just that you heard what he said about you and you were hurt. You know, I really laid on the guilt."

_Bad enough, but it could have been worse,_ thought Millie. Thank God the food was here!

Will knew better than to mention to Millie that Max hadn't realised she was gone, but there was one bit of news he could pass on.

"By the way, did you realise that Sally deliberately left Max off the invitation list for your farewell?"

"She did WHAT!" Millie almost yelled. "How do you know this?"

"I was talking to Roger about it," Will didn't mention Roger had talked to him to see if Will knew why Max had approached him. "He said Sally thought Max would just upset you. Roger felt really guilty about it. Why, is it that big a deal?" Even from behind her sunglasses, he could see that Millie was fuming.

"No, no, it's OK. I'd just hoped to settle things with Max before I left. I'd blamed Max for not turning up all this time, but it seems it was Sally's doing." _Note to self_, thought Millie: _delete Sally's mobile number from phone and remove her name from Christmas card list._

"Yeah, I don't think she should have interfered. It would have been better for you and Max to discuss things honestly, rather than her lying. You know what the Bible says about the truth setting you free."

"What, do you have a daily Bible quote desk calendar as well?" Millie laughed and slapped Will playfully. For the rest of their lunch, they limited their conversation to safer subjects.


	5. Chapter 5

**Max and Will**

Max and Will sat in silence in the car. They hadn't really had to deal with each other much since Will had told Max off about his treatment of Millie. This didn't necessarily mean that Will felt awkward sitting with Max. He felt completely justified in what he had said. He just didn't have anything particular he could think of saying to Max at that time.

Max was feeling uncomfortable with Will. In fact, he was pleased that he didn't have to work with Will beyond today. It was not because Will had told him off; that was water off a duck's back to Max. It was because he kept thinking about Will and Millie. Where was the sweet, quiet, obedient Millie he thought he knew and who was this cool seductress who loved and then dismissed them with an offhanded quip about them cramping her style if something better came along? And how come everyone else knew about the witty, carefree Millie, even people in CID with whom he hadn't known she had worked so closely? He had seriously thought he knew her better than anyone else in CID, and apparently he had been completely wrong.

Curiosity got the better of him, and without looking at Will, Max said, "So…you and Millie hey?"

"Yep," said Will. "You can ask, but I'm not going to tell you much. Mill's still a good friend of mine. Anyway, it was just the one night."

"Why? Wasn't it…?"

"No, no, it was fantastic," Max wished Will hadn't been so enthusiastic there. "We just agreed it wasn't what we wanted. To me it was sort of a welcome to Sun Hill, to her it was getting that notch on the belt out of the way. We both knew that."

"Fair enough." The words 'welcome to Sun Hill' started to play on Max's mind. "So when did this happen exactly?" he asked Will.

"After the welcome drinks for her, Leon and Arun. Heaton shouted everyone drinks that night."

"So this was how long after you met her?"

"I just met her at the pub, so a couple of hours."

"I see, ok."

Will started to worry about what Max was thinking. "Look Max, I'm not saying Millie's you know, a slut or anything…"

"I'm not thinking that," Max could be a bit traditional, but he believed what went for the goose, went for the gander as well. "I am a bit surprised because I never thought of her as being, you know, especially uninhibited."

"She wouldn't have been around you. I don't think she could quite work you out. I think she was used to getting a lot of male attention before she joined the force. Pretty girl, singer, dancer, musicians, free love, you know the scene. Not meaning to make her sound spoilt, but when she fancied someone, she was used to them responding."

"So she fancied me?" Max lit up at the suggestion before he could check himself.

Damn, thought Will. Millie's going to kill me for that one.

"I'm sure she checked you out. I would have thought it was a mutual thing though. I've seen you looking her up and down more than a few times."

"Yeah well, looking at her, what's not to like? She's obviously the pick of the crop at Sun Hill. But, you know, I guess I just never really got to know her at all."

"Yeah."

What more could Will say? The two men resumed their watch in silence.

**Neil Remembers Millie's Farewell**

When Max had left the station, Neil marched in to CID and told them to stop giving Max such a hard time. They agreed, because they could see that Max wasn't really himself these days. They were sure being partnered with Will that day would be punishment enough for his past transgressions anyway.

Neil returned to his office and sat in his usual pose at his desk. He was worried about Max. Neil had been surprised to hear about Millie and Will as he listened in to the conversation in CID. He wondered if Millie would attend Will's farewell tonight. This of course put him in mind of Millie's farewell…

"Go on Millie, I dare you," he heard Sally say, "I'll buy you a drink if you can get DI Manson to dance with you."

"Yeah, it's Kylie. Surely "Shocked" is a song from his misspent youth." Stevie was egging her on.

"Fine, I'll ask him."

Neil was aware of Millie coming over to him. He sighed at the idea of being laughed at, but he did want the chance to have a word to Millie. She wasn't looking as happy tonight as he would have expected.

"Hi Neil," Millie yelled in his ear over the music. Obviously she'd already done away with the formalities of the job. "It's my party and I want you to dance with me."

"My pleasure PC Brown," he'd replied. He heard all the Relief and several members of CID whistle and laugh as grabbed Millie's hand and slipped his other arm around her waist. "Well Millie, apart from joining me in being part of the evening's comic relief, you don't seem to be having such a good time tonight. Are you having regrets about your decision to leave?"

"No, in fact I'm more convinced than ever that it's the right thing to do." Millie looked around forlornly, as if she were searching for someone.

"OK then, a penny for them."

"Sir, I thought about what you said about getting over things and sorting it out with DS Carter. Well, I'd made up my mind I'd talk to him tonight, and he hasn't even bothered to show up."

Neil added this to his list of the many times he'd wanted to throttle Max. "Yes, it is disappointing he didn't show up. Maybe he had something else on that he couldn't get out of?" Neil knew Max wasn't working and doubted he had anything much else to do with his life, but he wasn't going to tell Millie this.

"Maybe. I suppose you should always give people the benefit of the doubt."

"That's right. Don't you go turning into a DS Carter and start shoving people in boxes."

Millie smiled. She felt like Neil was an uncle pulling a coin out from behind her ear to make her laugh. Smiling was the right response to give.

"Well, the karaoke's about to start and Will and I are going to sing 'I Got You Babe', so I'd better go." Just as well. Millie couldn't have handled the death stare Grace was giving her for being in Neil's arms a moment longer.

"OK, good luck." Neil kissed Millie's cheek and watched her hop up on the stage. Well, Will's not much of a singer, Neil thought, but Millie sure as hell is!

"Millie's a lovely looking girl," Jack Meadows said loudly into Neil's ear. They both became aware of Stevie and Jo giggling at Jack's comment.

Jack beckoned to Neil, "Come over here." He led Neil to a corner slightly away from the Sun Hill crew.

"So, beautiful girl, looks good on stage, great singer, and she's proven herself to be cool in a crisis – don't you think she's perfect for that job I mentioned?" Jack said to Neil.

"Probably," agreed Neil, "but remember it's her last day with us today. Tomorrow she is no longer a police officer."

"Has she handed in her warrant card yet?" Jack asked.

"I don't think so. I think I heard she was coming in for the final farewells tomorrow."

"Excellent. First thing tomorrow I'll get my contacts to hold off on her final paperwork. I'll tell her to come and see me in my office tomorrow. You and Smithy come along too, and we'll need a handler who can be discreet…"

"Grace?" suggested Neil.

"Just who I was thinking," nodded Jack. "I know Max would love this job, but he'd take getting Jenson too personally."

Neil was pleased he didn't have to explain to Jack the other reason why he wouldn't have Max in on this one.

"OK Sir," said Neil. "I'll leave it to you to talk to PC Brown."

"Thanks Neil," said Jack, then added. "I wouldn't get too friendly with Millie again. You should have seen the look on Grace's face!"

Jack slapped Neil's shoulder and walked off with a chuckle. Neil pursed his lips. That was the second time tonight he'd been the butt of the joke.

Later that night, Jack caught up with Millie.

"PC Brown, I'd like to thank you for all you've done during your time here, and say that I'm sorry to see you go."

"Thanks Guv, I've enjoyed my time here," Millie was pleased this was only a partial lie.

"Now, I want you to come see me before you sign out for the final time tomorrow. So can you come to my office, say at about 1300hrs?"

"OK Sir."

"Good girl. Well, I'll see you then."


	6. Chapter 6

**Will's farewell**

Millie hadn't taken any nights off, so she was relieved that when she rang in to say she wasn't up to singing tonight, her boss had been really good about it. She was surprised how much she actually liked Curtis Jenson. He really was the model employer. He appreciated her talent, he listened to and respected her opinion about things and he paid her well. He had a bit of slimy air about him, and of course he was the head of a crime network, but hey, she joked to herself, you can't have everything!

Her heart simply wouldn't have been in performing tonight. She was all too well aware that somewhere across town all of her friends from Sun Hill were together having a good time at Will's farewell. Work had been her excuse for not attending, but really she hadn't wanted to go because, of course, she hadn't wanted to run into 'certain people'. But after Will had told her that Sally had deliberately not invited Max to her send off, that reason had disappeared. In fact, the thought of seeing Max and explaining things to him was quite appealing. It was 930 pm, there was still time to get there. It wouldn't take her long to dress and do herself up a bit. Millie picked up the phone and booked the taxi.

Max was sitting alone at the bar, drinking a beer and not talking to anyone. He acknowledged people when they spoke to him, but he wasn't going out of his way to be friendly. He was tired and preoccupied. So Millie had wanted to talk to him. What would she have said? And how would he have reacted? Was there some way he could think of to get in contact with her now? Maybe she would change her mind and show up tonight after all.

Max knew he was just wishful thinking. He had made up his mind that he'd stay for a respectable amount of time, then slip out quietly. He surveyed the room from his bar seat. Near the door he saw Eddie talking excitedly to a woman whom Max thought he'd seen somewhere before. He looked up and caught Callum Stones' eye and Callum smiled knowingly and winked at him. He remembered now. What was her name? Linda - the FIO in the Devlin case. Smithy was sharing the knowing looks now, but with Stevie beside him there was no way he'd make a move on Linda. Max looked Callum in the eye and accepted his challenge. He felt he could win anyway. Last time he'd seen her, she'd seemed to be signaling her interest. Of course Max had been focused on the case and Eddie as usual had no shame in schmoozing in where he could, but had circumstances been different, Max was sure she would have been 'up for it'.

He couldn't believe his luck when she left Eddie's side and started to head his way. Callum gave a bow of defeat. Yeah, this was just what he needed; a bit of a fling to take his mind off … he stopped himself from thinking her name. He remembered Linda was engaged or something, so there'd be no complications, no difficulty getting rid of her afterwards.

Linda sidled up beside him. Her jeans was tight and her top low cut. She'll do, Max thought to himself.

"Detective Sergeant," Linda said with a smile.

"Hi Linda, it's Max in case you've forgotten," Max pulled out the stool beside him for her to sit on.

"Oh, I haven't forgotten," Linda wiggled onto the seat. This one's in the bag, Max thought to himself.

"Drink?" he asked her.

"A pint thanks," Despite her feminine wiles, Linda liked to give the impression of being one of the boys.

"Cheers," Max said taking a swig of his beer.

"Cheers," Linda took a swig of hers. They stared intently at each other over the rims of their mugs.

"Excuse me Ladies and Gentlemen," Max and Linda's gaze was broken by the voice of Smithy, who was holding a microphone. "As you are probably all aware, PC Nate Roberts is quite the amateur film maker. In honour of Will's departure, he has made this tribute as a memento for our friend William. Lights please!"

Linda edged closer to Max in the darkness. The movie began, with the predictable shots of Will in uniform, Will out dealing with the general public, driving the area car etc. Then began the 'Will with his friends' footage. Max chuckled along with everyone else, until there was a shot of Will with a certain ginger-haired PC. There, on the big screen, was his missing Millie, and seeing her in motion was a whole different thing to seeing her in the stillness of her photo. She was smiling and giggling. There was a scene in which Nate had invaded the women's locker room and caught Millie and Mel getting ready. There was nothing indecent, but while Mel was embarrassed, Millie started to ham it up for the cameras. She winked, raised a foot onto the bench and slid away the towel that covered her lower half to reveal her thigh as she blew a kiss to the camera. And then there was Millie and Will, obviously singing karaoke, looking pleadingly into each other eyes, holding hands. In every shot Millie seemed so happy and vibrant, so different to the side of herself she had shown to Max.

The movie went on and there was Max himself, standing with Millie, and the two of them were reading something he was holding. They were in the background of the footage. The purpose of recording this had obviously been a spectacular tumble of Will's in the foreground, but surprisingly he and Millie didn't seem to notice. Max could see was how close they were standing, and how occasionally Millie's eyes flickered up from the page to look at him.

Max was transfixed by this image, and stared at the screen completely unaware that at the entrance to the club, Millie stood in the doorway looking up at same picture trying not to let it sap her of the courage to face everyone.

Linda sensed she was being ignored. She placed her hand on Max's arm. He was suddenly aware that Linda was speaking to him.

"Who's the ginger?" she asked.

"What?" Max was annoyed and the hand didn't stay there long.

"The redhead. I can't believe what she was wearing!" Linda was getting the feeling she had been forgotten. She didn't hesitate in getting catty.

"Sometimes there's no need to gild the lily," Max retorted. For some reason, Max found that he was more upset at hearing Millie criticised than he was at the prospect of missing out on this 'sure thing'.

"What are you saying?"

"Just that some women are naturally attractive and don't need to go out of their way to impress."

"Unlike me?" Linda batted her eyelashes at him.

Max sighed. There was no reason to take this out on Linda. "No, I never said that. I was just saying that Millie is a natural beauty."

"I don't know about that, but for someone's who's not here, she's getting an awful lot of your attention, at the expense of those of us who are here. I hope she's worth it," Linda said reproachfully.

"I guess she must be," Max's saying this was as much a revelation to himself as to Linda.

"Well, I guess now you just have to choose between the absent beauty or me then," Linda said icily, making it clear she wasn't going to play second fiddle.

"You're right," Max grabbed his keys and jacket, "Sorry for wasting your time."

Max stood up and walked out. In a better lit and less crowded space, he might have noticed a delightfully gilded lily in the form of the shapely redhead in a little black dress, who was weaving her way through the crowd and into the bar just as he made his way out into the night and went home.


	7. Chapter 7

**Millie's Last Day**

Millie strode through the halls of Sun Hill Police Station in her jeans and jacket. No reason to wear that uniform today - or ever again! She looked at her former colleagues as they walked around in their uniforms; all that restriction, all those responsibilities. Some of them had been working for hours, and here it was, after midday and she'd been asleep most of the morning.

Millie cleaned out her locker and said her final goodbyes. Quite a few of the people who had been at her farewell looked a bit worse for wear this morning, she noticed.

She was taking one final look around just as Smithy appeared

"Come on Millie, it's time for your visit to the Super."

Millie had completely forgotten her appointment with Jack. She and Smithy walked up to Jack's office and knocked on the door. She was a bit surprised that Smithy was insisting on accompanying her, and even more surprised to see DI Manson and DC Grace Dasari seated there as well.

"Ah, Millie," Jack smiled and extended an arm to gesture her to sit down. "How are you feeling this morning? Some of us must confess to feeling a bit tired."

"I'm OK Sir, I got to sleep in."

"Enjoying your retirement already I see," smiled Jack. "Now, you're probably wondering why I have gathered you and your other colleagues here together."

"Yes, Sir, I am."

"Well, Millie, if I can begin," said Smithy, "We all agree that we're sad to see you go, and that we think you're making a mistake leaving the force."

"Both you and DI Manson have already made that clear," Millie was unmoved. Her mind was made up.

"How would you feel then Millie, if we offered you a special assignment?" said Jack. "Something hand-picked for you because it relates to both your career choices: policing and singing. Could we get you to change your mind?"

Millie's curiosity was piqued, even though the policing part of her life was finished.

"Curtis Jenson," Jack continued. "Does the name mean anything to you?"

"Yes, local crime figurehead, local drug dealer etc. etc. Oh, and when I was kidnapped everyone thought he was responsible." She said 'everyone' but they all knew she meant Max.

"Your handling of things while you were a hostage impressed all of us," Jack said. "And a good part of the reason why you were so good in that situation is that you are able to read people and understand their motivations. Even your kidnappers. The successful outcome that day was largely due to the fact that you saw the kidnappers as people, and instead of just judging them, you related to them and got them to work with you."

Millie smiled to herself, remembering how she 'related' to Mick. Then she said, "Well, thank you all for your praise. It's a shame the paperwork's gone through then and I'm no longer a member of the Metropolitan Police."

"Actually..." said Jack, "I pulled a few strings and your paperwork's on hold for a wee bit longer." Millie frowned at Jack and started to say something, but he continued. "Look, I don't normally like to pull stunts like that, but I really believe that you'd be the best person I have for this job. I need you. Your particular skill set is exactly what's called for to infiltrate the inner-workings of Jenson's empire. And you've never actually met Jenson, have you?"

"That's true, but..."

"Think of it this way Millie," this time it was Neil who spoke, "if you accept this offer, you not only get a break from the humdrum of police work, you build up some singing experience for your resume, which you can use for your future if you end up deciding during the operation policing is not for you."

Millie sighed, "What would be involved?"

Neil went on, "Basically you'd be working at a club of Jenson's as a singer and dancer. It's solo and chorus work, several nights a week. We would set up a flat for you nearby. In a nutshell you'd be keeping an eye on the everyday wheelings and dealings of the operation. Grace would be your handler." Grace smiled and nodded.

"If nothing else," said Smithy, "it's a safety net for you until you've reestablished yourself as a singer."

This observation did appeal to the very strong practical side of Millie.

"Why don't you just audition for Jenson to start with, see how you go?" suggested Grace. "Then, if you succeed we can discuss the particulars of the job in more detail."

_Seeing as my paperwork's been put on hold, I don't really have a choice do I?_ thought Millie angrily. "OK, I'll audition. But if I'm not successful, that's it."

"Agreed," said Jack.

** A Discovery**

Max bumped into Callum Stone on the way into the station the morning after Will's send off. It was obvious he had partied quite a bit later than Max, who had at least got some dream-free sleep and felt slightly better refreshed than he had been in the last week.

"Hey, thanks for leaving me your spoils. What happened with you and Linda?" Stone asked.

"Ah, so you took up my leftovers huh? I don't know. I said something, I offended her, and, well I just really didn't care," replied Max. "Some things are just too little a challenge, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, well you'll be happy to know Linda went home empty handed. Say, do you know what she's got against Millie?" Stone had missed out on all the CID Max and Millie gossip.

"Millie?" Max was surprised. "Why bring her up? I mean, why would Linda think about Millie?"

"After you left and Millie arrived, Linda started having a go at her to me, and, you know, I don't stand for having ex or present members of my team rubbished, so I stood up for Mill, and Linda just went off in a huff. No great loss I guess."

"Millie was there?"

"Yeah, I didn't see exactly when you left, but it wouldn't have been long before she arrived. Say, she's looking hot. Tight little black dress, a bit of makeup, hair down. Very nice indeed."

"Well, I guess I miss out on everything!" Max said, and Stone smiled back, having no idea how weighted Max's words were.

Damn, damn, damn! Every stomp of Max's feet on the steps up to CID seemed to thump out this word. She had arrived just after he left, how unfair was that? He stopped suddenly halfway up the steps as a thought struck him: had Millie seen him with Linda? He felt his shoulders slump as he thought to himself - Millie's moved on, why would it bother her anyway?

Max had a lot of paperwork to do, and no special reason to leave the office, so, as much as he hated it, he was desk-bound most of the morning. Everyone else seemed to be out, except Grace who as usual went about not making small talk, just getting her work done. She spent most of her time at her desk. She got up to collect something from the printer, but was called back to her desk by her ringing phone. At the same time, Max went to collect his own printing and noticed Grace's sitting on the machine. Max picked it up, intending to take it over to Grace.

As he strode back to the desk he glanced at what Grace had printed, which turned out to be a picture. Max realised that he recognised the place in the picture and instead of heading towards Grace with it, he sat at his desk and gave it a thorough look. It was a club of some sort, somewhere in a more up-market part of town. Where had he seen it before and why was it significant? Then it dawned on him: this was one of the more successful establishment run by local 'gangster made good' - Curtis Jenson.

Max had been convinced that Jenson was behind Millie's kidnapping and the toyshop robbery that had preceded it. But it had turned out that while Jenson was connected to the people involved, none of it was his doing. Jenson had been useful to Max, however, as he was able to ID the kidnappers. Max had persuaded Jenson to do this by revealing to him that one of the hostages was a police officer (Millie in fact) and threatening that unless he helped there would be a constant police presence at his establishments. Max and Will hadn't enjoyed doing deals with Jenson to get the info, but as Max said to Will at the time; Jenson's time will come.

So, what was Grace doing with this picture? Had the time to get Jenson come now, and for some reason Max was being excluded from it? Max walked over to Grace, who was now off the phone and left the picture on her desk. She said thanks. Max checked her face for a reaction, hoping for something that would reveal perhaps her awkwardness at having left vital evidence lying around, but Grace as always was cool as a cucumber.

If that was the way Grace was going to play it, Max decided not to make a fuss either. He tried to make it look like he had no interest in the picture whatsoever. Meanwhile, he decided that after enough time had passed for Grace not to connect his leaving with his discovery of the picture, he would be taking a little drive across town to do some surveillance work of his own.

A diversion came in the form of Mickey, Terry and Stevie returning to the office, all chatting and laughing. The peacefulness of the office was gone, and Max grabbed his keys and made his way out the door unnoticed.

The comings and goings of a club like Jenson's during daytime hours are restricted to deliveries, general maintenance and activities concerned with running the business. The day being a Friday, there was more activity than on a quieter night of the week, as things were being prepared for its busy hours over the weekend. Max sat in his car and watched. Vans came containing alcohol, flowers and pieces of sets, someone appeared with arms full of drycleaner's plastic covering costumes, other people just came and went.

Max spotted Jenson himself come and go quite a few times. He was obviously taking a very hands-on approach to running this particular venture. Max looked at his watch. It was 1430. Around this time several young, slender looking women seemed to arrive, probably the singers and dancers in the club's shows, Max thought. He needed to stretch. Checking to ensure he was out of Jenson's sight, Max hopped out of the car and walked a bit closer to the venue. The sight that greeted him made him stop in his tracks. Walking up to Jenson, who placed an almost paternal hand on her arm as she greeted him, was a lithe figure in a dark coat, wearing a thigh length skirt over black stockings. The figure had long red hair. Max didn't have to look twice to positively identify the girl as the former PC Millie Brown.


	8. Chapter 8

**Max and Millie**

Millie loved performing, but it was all becoming a bit too routine for her. She was looking forward to next Friday, when the programme was changing for the new month and Jenson was letting her do a few more solo numbers that showed off her singing ability, rather than how good she looked in those skimpy outfits. It was great fun working with the other girls, and the camaraderie reminded her in a way of being in the police force, but as performing was such an emotional outlet, she lived for the times when she could really express herself through song.

It was a standard Friday afternoon and evening. Rehearsals, finalising outfits, time for a quick dinner, last minute warm ups etc, then the evening's show. There were two types of performers in Jenson's troupe: the girls like Millie who were there because they were really talented performers and made the rest of the cast look proficient; and the girls who were there because they were adequate performers and would be 'nice' to certain members of Jenson's clientele. Millie felt protective of the latter kind, some of whom really did have stars in their eyes and believed that doing whatever the boss said was their ticket to fame and success. Millie helped a few of the younger ones with their make up and hair and then sat down and started getting herself ready.

Naturally, after having seen Millie at Jenson's club, Max had made up his mind that after work finished he would check out things there for himself. He didn't intend to confront Millie as such, but the thought of bumping into her and her having to talk to him seemed quiet appealing. To be honest, the thought of simply being able to look at Millie without any contact was enough for him, especially after the week of being tormented because he hadn't made the most of his chance to get to know her before. And he wanted to check out what all the fuss was about her as a singer. Max would never have admitted it to his police colleagues, but he was quite the fan of female singers (the legacy of growing up with older sisters), and in fact had quite a good ear. When he pictured Millie these days he saw her in that role; in a long, clinging black dress with a split up the side as high as he could bear to imagine, with possibly a sequin or two spangled here and there giving her body an ethereal quality. He imagined her long red hair tumbling down, half covering her face as she'd cupped the microphone in her hand while she crooned seductively.

Max found himself paying slightly more attention to how he looked than usual. By the time he got to the club, got a drink and found himself a discreet seat in the corner with a good view of the stage, the show had already started. He spotted Jenson deep in conversation with someone, and was pleased Jenson had not yet noticed him. He knew it was likely he would some time that night.

He checked out the girls on the stage. No Millie yet. He threw back his beer, ordered another, and drummed his fingers on the table impatiently. What was Millie doing here? It couldn't just be coincidence she was working here, especially as Grace had that photo of this place. The thought that perhaps Millie was still a copper made him happy.

There was a suddenly burst of music which Max recognised instantly as the beginning of the Bond theme, 'The Man with the Golden Gun'. A figure moved onto the stage, posing with the gun at the pauses in the music. The girl was dressed in a tight black vinyl outfit. She wore black thigh-high boots and her red hair was loose but held off her face by a black head band. It was Millie.

When Millie started to sing, Max was blown away by the power of her voice. They were right, she did have talent! Max smiled to himself.

"Good show?" a voice said in his ear.

"Well, she needs a few pointers about how to handle a gun..." Max said without thinking.

"I'm sure you could show her how to handle one properly..." The voice was smooth as silk. Max finally realised it belonged to Curtis Jenson. He turned to face him.

"Mr. Jenson," he nodded.

"DS Carter," Jenson replied. "I can see you are very impressed by our Amelia. I couldn't help but notice you haven't taken your eyes off her since she went on stage."

"Well, she's very lovely."

"I tell you what," said Jenson, "Amelia is the type of girl who knows her own mind, you know, she won't just do something because I tell her to." Max frowned. "But if you like I can introduce you to her. You might just hit it off."

Max was offended by Jenson talking about Millie like that, but he did want an excuse to talk to her. If Millie was undercover, he reasoned, she might avoid him if he went up to talk to her off his own bat.

"OK," Max said eventually.

"There, that was easy wasn't it?" Jenson was beginning to hope Max might be corruptible. "Enjoy the rest of the show, and I'll send her over when she's finished."

Max was slightly annoyed Jenson had interrupted his observation of Millie as she slinked around the stage in her tight little outfit. Who knew that PC uniform could be hiding something so delightful?

True to his word, Jenson approached Millie once she was finished.

"Great show Amelia,"

"Thanks Mr. Jenson."

"Look, can you do me a favour. There's an old acquaintance of mine in the audience who's taken quite a fancy to you. Don't worry, I assure you he's perfectly safe, so will you go and sit with him for a while and butter him up a bit, if you know what I mean? Nothing over the top, and of course you don't have to do anything you don't want to, but I think you might like him. He's a good looking guy, probably works out a bit."

Millie sighed. What could she say? "Sure."

"Good girl," Jenson smiled. "He's over there, right in the corner, wearing a blue shirt. I mentioned to him you might be over, so he'll probably approach you. Oh, and stay in that costume."

Millie checked herself over, took a swig of Dutch courage, and she walked to the corner where Jenson had indicated his friend was sitting. It was all she could do to keep her cool as she walked through the crowd, pretending not to mind the hands that helped themselves to a feel of her costume or the naked part of her legs between her shorts and her boots. Eventually the last people blocking the view of her 'date' parted, and she felt her jaw just drop as she saw DS Max Carter seated at the table waiting for her.

"Hi," she said eventually. Jenson was right, he did look good.

"Hi... Amelia, is it?" It had probably never occurred to Max before that this was her real name, and he said it very pointedly. "I'm Max," he said with a smile.

Millie could see he was absolutely beaming at the sight of her. She was confused. It seemed like he was happy to see her, but she didn't believe that could be possible, so she concluded he was laughing at her. However, she knew her job depended on her playing this role convincingly. Of course Jenson would be watching. She knew she had no choice but to be friendly, so she slid beside him onto the bench on which he was sitting.

He smirked at her as she sat down, "Kylie eat your heart out," he said indicating his appreciation of her shorts.

Here goes nothing, she thought to herself as she tossed her hair back over her shoulders and smiled at him. "So tell me about Max." She put her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand, then stared intently at him.

Max took this as a challenge to see which of them could make the other more uncomfortable, so he grabbed the wrist of her leaning hand and moved so close towards her and looked deeply into her eyes so that she thought he was going to kiss her.

"Dance?" He took her hand and led her to a space on the dance floor. He put his arms around her and they danced slowly. As Martha Wainwright sang 'Slave to Love' Millie thought bitterly that that was exactly what she still was to this man. She wondered if he could feel her heart pounding away as he held her.

Max told himself that he had asked Millie to dance so he'd be able to talk to her without anyone seeing or overhearing, but once he had her in his arms and nuzzled his face into her hair to get his mouth near her ear, he found himself speechless. He closed his eyes and he drew in the smell of her hair. He wanted so much to cover her head with kisses; hell, he almost wanted to cry with the relief that she was finally here, safe, with him, that he'd lost her but now he had her back. But then he realised he didn't actually have her at all, she was playing a role. He forced his mindset back into police officer mode.

"So 'Amelia'," he whispered in her ear, "What's all this rubbish about having left the force?"

Millie's eyes lit up in indignation. "It's not rubbish, Sir, this is what I do now."

"For Curtis Jenson? Give me a break!"

"Well, I don't have to take the moral high ground now I'm no longer a copper."

"Fine. Whatever you say." The spell of the dance was broken and somehow their old hostilities had resurfaced. They moved together to the music in silence, wondering what to do next.


	9. Chapter 9

**Millie's New Job**

Two days after her supposed last day at Sun Hill, Millie was calling Grace's number.

"Hi Grace, it's Millie. Just letting you know Jenson's given me a job."

"That's excellent Millie. Can you meet me and DI Manson in, say, an hour and half? You got a pen? I'll give you an address to meet us at."

Millie found herself in a trendy part of town not far from Jenson's club, at the door of a two up two down block of flats. Grace and Neil met her at the door.

"So," said Neil, as he led her up the stairs to a first floor flat "What do you think of your new home?" He opened the doors to an airy sitting room with French windows opening up overlooking the street.

"It's very nice, but I haven't agreed to do anything yet. And I notice there's no piano…" Millie thought she may as well make it worth her while.

"Do you have one? We'll have it moved here."

"By specialist piano movers I hope?"

"Of course. Grace, can you fix us all some tea? Now come sit down with me Millie."

_Hmm, Comfy couch, great views, nice neighbourhood..._ thought Millie, _I could get use to this._

Neil pulled a folder out of his satchel and opened it. He took out two photos, and Millie recognised them as being of Si and Mick Jones.

"Recognise these faces Millie?"

"How could I forget them?" Especially Mick, she added in her head.

"You probably don't know, but Mick is out of prison already, and apparently doing well; staying off drugs and I think he has a job now. Si will be in for a year or so more, but his rehabilitation is on track too. Now, you of course know why they agreed to kidnap Jade, don't you?"

"They needed money for drugs,"

"And they got the drugs from…"

"Curtis Jenson."

"You got close to both these boys in a way, didn't you? Mick after all tried to restrain his brother to save your life, and got knocked out in the process."

"That's true. Nice work DI Manson, playing on my feelings like this. I know I have a reputation for being soft."

"Empathetic, Millie, you're empathetic. But you see what I'm saying don't you? Someone like Jenson plays on vulnerable people like that. I know you don't believe you should just lock people up and throw away the key. You think they should be given a second chance, don't you? Won't you help Mick make good with his second chance?"

Millie looked at Mick's photo and thought about what Neil was saying. _Bastard, he knows exactly what to say, doesn't he? Playing to my liberal conscience! Oh hell, what's the harm in it?_ _After all, it is a good way to establish myself and not struggle for money. And of course, there's Mick and Si. If I can't have Mick in my life, I can at least do this much for him._

Millie threw her hands up and said, "Fine, you've convinced me. I'll do it. I really want to get Jenson too."

**Max and Millie, Still on the Dance Floor...**

"Look Millie," said Max eventually. "I still need to talk to you. We can't do that here."

"Shall we find a café or something around here?"

"I don't think so," said Max, "We're too likely to be seen by someone working for Jenson."

"Well, what would you suggest?"

Max was worried about how this sounded but he said it anyway, "My place?"

"If you want Jenson's cronies to take pictures of me entering and leaving your place and using them to blackmail you with, sure."

"Your place?"

"No," said Millie. "I have a flat mate."

"So what?" Max said, then tried his luck by adding, "Afraid a flat mate might cramp your style or something?"

Max simply couldn't come back to her flat, Millie thought. What would everyone think if they saw him on the cameras? She remembered when Smithy had been undercover and she, Banksy and Heaton had seen Smithy lead Stevie into the bedroom for a quiet word. How they'd snickered. And what would Max say if she said he could visit, but he'd have to climb in the bedroom window? But if he came in through the door they would all think her cover was broken. She had to think fast.

"You see, I share a flat with Grace," she said eventually.

"Grace," Max didn't buy that for a second. "Sure."

"Look, I don't have time to try to convince you."

"OK, what say I think of somewhere and text you later? Here," he reached in his pocket and pulled out a card, "See that mobile number, mine's the same except the last 3 digits are 984. Call me and I'll text you back with a place."

"Right."

They danced in silence until the end of the song, then separated. Max said goodbye and made his way out the door. Millie went to the dressing room to prepare for her next number in 30 minutes. She quickly added Max's number to her phone, filing it under 'Dentist'. She laughed to herself that it was apt because seeing him always ended up being painful.

After her performance, she encountered Jenson.

"So how did it go with Mr. Carter?" he asked. "You seemed to be getting on really well for a while there."

"I suppose you knew he was a policeman?" Millie asked. "I think he only pretended to be interested in me so he could get information about you." She said this ruefully because now she believed it to be the truth. "I seemed to lose my appeal to him when it became apparent I was no use. But, see, he left me his card. " She threw the card onto the table.

Jenson picked the card up, screwed it up and placed it in an ashtray. "So what did you say to him?" he asked her.

"I said I'd never seen any evidence of you doing anything illegal,' she said. "Why, are you doing something illegal?"

Jenson smiled, "Cheeky girl, you're lucky I like you," he joked. "Thanks for letting me know what Carter wanted. I do appreciate it. Now time for you to go home. My star needs her sleep! See you tomorrow."

"See you, Mr. Jenson."

As Millie gathered her stuff to go home, she sent a text that said "leaving soon" to her dentist.


	10. Chapter 10

**Happy New Year!  
**

**Millie and Grace**

"Come on Grace, answer your phone," Millie tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Grace to respond.

Eventually a groggy voice answered. "Millie, are you OK? Why are you ringing at this hour?"

Millie was now so used to her late nights she'd forgotten that people like Grace are asleep by midnight.

"Sorry Grace, I didn't realise the time. Look, I thought I'd better let you know, Max Carter came into the club tonight."

"What? Max did? What did he say?" Grace mentally kicked herself when she realised that her leaving that picture in the printer was probably the reason for Max's visit. "Do you think he might have jeopardised your cover?"

"I don't think so. Jenson recognised him and saw him watching me, and presumed he was 'interested', if you know what I mean." Millie was embarrassed telling Grace this. "Jenson told me to go and look after Max…"

"Millie! You know we don't have you in there as an escort. You don't have to do anything like that…"

"Come off it Grace, do you really think I would seduce Max just because Jenson said so? And actually, do you think Max would let himself be seduced?"

"Sorry Millie, that's true. I'm not really awake. Go on."

"Anyway, we spoke briefly and danced. Then he said he wanted to talk to me and we agreed we couldn't talk there, so I'm meeting him now."

"O...K," Grace said slowly. "Look Millie, if you and Max have something going on between you..."

"I don't think it's that, I think he wants to find out more about what I'm doing working for Jenson. But don't worry, I will stick with my story."

"Good, well if you need to ring at any time – any time at all - do. Otherwise perhaps we should speak in the morning."

"OK," Millie nearly forgot the most important thing. "Oh, and Grace, I told Max you and I were sharing a flat."

"Hmm, why?"

"Because he suggested he come back to my place for our talk, and of course I couldn't let him do that. Sorry, it was the best I could think of at the time, and anyway if he continues to spy on me it might be a cover as to why you visit me a lot."

"Good point. So, we can say the flat's mine and I'm having financial difficulties or something, so I needed a flat mate. Anyway, the main thing is I'm worded up now if Max asks." Grace paused as the penny dropped. "He wanted to meet you at your place? Millie are you sure you know what you're doing? You know what Max is like, I don't want you to get hurt."

"Don't worry I have no illusions about Max…" _anymore,_ she added in her head. "I better go, we'll speak tomorrow"

"Good luck Millie."

**Max, Millie, Some Wine, a Hotel Room...**

Millie had time to go home and change before meeting up with Max. She was not pleased to see that what he had texted her as a meeting place was a hotel and a room number. The thought of being alone with Max in that kind of environment made her nervous. She had to remind herself that tonight he had proven himself to be as single minded as ever. It was all about the job for him, and she was only of interest to him because he'd somehow discovered a connection between her and Curtis Jenson. She knew she should just say that she wouldn't meet him and save herself the humiliation of going to see him and having it proven to her once again that he didn't care for her, but somehow she couldn't stop herself.

She decided to drive part of the way to her destination, then catch a taxi. That way, she figured, if Jenson were up to something it would be difficult to follow her. Max was apparently already at the hotel waiting for her, so there would be no risk of them turning up together. She was sure Max could figure out a way of making sure he hadn't been followed.

Max had hesitated about using a hotel as a meeting place, but figured that it was the best idea because identifying a particular room would be difficult for anyone following them and it was completely private. To make it seem a little less like a seduction, he got a room that had a lounge area as well. He figured he might as well camp there overnight to make the most of the expense.

Despite what Millie thought, Max's mind was not really focused on discussing the case with her. He sincerely wanted to have that talk they missed out on at her farewell. Sure, he was curious about what she was actually doing working with Jenson, and why so few people knew what was going on, but this seemed secondary to him some how.

Max had bought a bottle of wine and he was contemplating having a glass when there was a knock on the door. He still couldn't quite believe it would be Millie until he opened the door and saw her standing there. She'd changed into jeans and a jacket, but she still looked good. He liked it that she'd left her hair down.

"Hi, come in," he said and directed her towards the lounge area. She walked in and tried to avoid looking in the direction of the king sized bed that dominated the room. Her nervousness was renewed when she noticed the wine and two glasses waiting on the coffee table. She smiled, placed her bag on the couch, and sat down beside it.

Max had intended to sit on the couch too, but instead pulled up a chair beside Millie. It was probably just as well she did that, he thought. It was all he could do to stop himself grabbing her and kissing her.

"I figured we could talk without anyone overhearing or watching us here. I hope that's OK." Millie's bag-beside-her-on-the-couch trick had made him feel he had to justify his choice.

"Yes, it's very, um, private," Millie agreed. The wine was starting to look good. "May I…?" she asked, indicating the wine.

"Oh sure," Max opened the bottle and poured each of them a glass. He felt it would be appropriate to toast their reunion, but couldn't think of what to say, so he just raised his glass and drank.

Millie smiled, then nervously gulped down her wine. She waited for Max to talk. She was curious to see what was so important. She guessed it was all about Jenson, but after their dance a part of her began to hope it might be more.

Max managed to fuel Millie's hopefulness with the way he chose to start the conversation.

"Your singing is great, I had no idea you were so good at it."

Millie smiled shyly over the top of her second glass of wine. Max was pleased with this result.

"And you look great. I, I really like the way you're wearing your hair."

Millie felt herself starting to blush. _Remember what he's like, remember how much he upset you_, she told herself, trying to silence the second little voice in her head which was saying excitedly _"He likes you!"_

Max watched Millie intently. A bit of the old Millie who avoided his eyes had returned, but somehow this didn't diminish the new Millie's attractiveness to him. It did bring back to him, however, a sense of his position as a senior officer to her and how because of this he had to be careful not to take advantage of her. _Now let's think…I've brought her to a hotel room, given her alcohol, it's late, there's a bed over there - none of this is good. _Max decided he needed to get things back to a professional level.

"So, what's this Jenson operation about then?"

Millie's second little voice was automatically silenced. _I should have known. I'm a complete fool to hope._ Millie decided all she could do to salvage the situation and the last remnants of her pride was to answer him as seriously as she could.

"There is no Jenson operation. I have left the force and am pursuing my career as a singer," she sounded like a robot, but responding like a sentient being was simply not an option. She would have been a blubbering mess.

Max could see he had upset her. "All right, tell me about Grace then?" he said, slightly changing the subject.

"Grace and I just happened to be looking for a housemate at the same time. I don't think she would have offered me the room if I wasn't about to leave the force," Millie looked directly at Max as she said this. "It suits us well. We are both quiet and like our time alone, but at the same time we get on well and don't do things like use each other's toothpaste or eat the piece of cake the other was saving." She couldn't really think of any more clichés to add.

"Has Grace been to see your show? Surely she'd have objections to you working for Jenson."

"She's mature enough to let me make my own mistakes. And anyway, no matter what Jenson's up to, he's not involving me in anything criminal."

"Really? Are you sure? Do you know where the money that pays your wages comes from…?"

"The club does a very good business?"

"Oh really. Don't you think you're being a bit naïve about that?" Her determination to lie surprised him. No matter how attractive Millie was to him there was no getting Max off a high horse once he was riding it.

"Maybe, but I've got to eat and pay rent you know!"

"So that makes taking money from a crook acceptable does it? You sleep with a clear conscience?"

Millie had had enough. Once again she'd let herself hope he felt about her the way she felt about him. Once again he'd make it clear in that harshest possible way that she was just a means to an ends to him, just a tool of his trade. Standing up and putting her bag on her shoulder, she made up her mind to salvage her dignity. She stood in front of him, clearly angry, but steadfast in her determination to stay in control

"Look, Sarge, I'm sorry you don't believe me. I'm going to go home. I've got another performance tomorrow night, rehearsals during the day, and I need my sleep."

Max finally realised his choice of conversation was driving her away. He frantically tried to think of a way to stop her leaving now, before he'd said anything he really wanted to say.

"So, you're standing by your story then?"

"Yes Sarge," Millie pointedly made their interactions as formal as possible.

"You're no longer PC Brown, you're just a member of the public? You don't have to listen to a damn word I say because I'm not your superior officer?"

"That's right, Sarge."

"Fine," he stood before her and looked into her eyes. "Then there's nothing inappropriate about me doing this."

Max grabbed her by the waist and with his other hand pulled her face to his and kissed her fervently on the mouth.


	11. Chapter 11

**Warning: This chapter contains nudity, descriptive passages of Mallie lovin' and Max's bare chest. So make sure you're on a sturdy chair, MissLala!**

**Mallie**

When the kiss stopped, Max pulled back slightly to gauge Millie's reaction. He was slightly confused by it. She seemed to be angling her head as if asking for more, but there was look of, was it _fear _in her eyes? Max suddenly thought that perhaps by kissing her he had been insensitive. He had no idea of her past, no idea what she had had to endure while she was undercover. Jenson had had no hesitation in making her approach Max, what had she had to do at his insistence before? It was all very well of Will to talk about the 'free love Millie', but what had she gone through since then? Still, she wasn't pulling away, and despite Max's misgivings he really didn't feel like making so noble a sacrifice as to let Millie go. He wanted to keep her body this close to his, and taste those lips again, but he just had to convince himself it was right thing to do.

For once Max had made the correct assessment of what Millie was feeling. She was scared. Not for the reasons Max suspected, but simply because she was afraid of getting hurt by Max again. It seemed like a stupid question, but was she reading him right this time? What other possible motivations could he have for doing this? A little post-nookie chat about Jenson perhaps? She believed Max's professional ethics were such that he wouldn't just sleep with her because he could, though quite frankly after that kiss it kind of didn't matter to her if that was his intention. The kiss had completely taken her by surprise, but its effect on her went way beyond that, beyond the yearning that her having hoped for or anticipated Max's kiss for so long had created. Her romantic notions of Max were still there, but they had become overpowered by feelings of longing and need. The reality of physically possessing Max was so tantalisingly close she felt she could barely stand or breathe. But why was he suddenly holding back? After what seemed like forever, but was in reality less than a minute, she decided it was up to her to take the lead from here. She nuzzled her face into his, then lightly kissed his lips. Then she left it to him to respond.

Max didn't need any more encouragement, and from then it was clear neither of them had any intention of pulling away. Max, however, was still reeling from the look of fear in Millie's eyes and was determined not to pressure her. He wanted to show her that she could trust him, so he was taking things very slowly. They were still standing and he felt Millie start to edge them in the direction of the bed, but instead he guided them back to sit on the couch. Sliding her bag and jacket from her shoulders as they sat, he stopped kissing her and stroked her face, neck and lips with the back of his hand. The way that she attempted to catch his hand with her mouth was distracting, as was the fact that her hand seemed to be finding its way under his shirt and moving around from his back to his chest, but he still had some things he wanted to say. He grabbed her hand and stilled it with his own free hand.

"Millie," Max whispered. "When I thought you'd left without saying goodbye to me, I was, I don't know, I just couldn't believe you could do that."

"That was a mistake…"

"Shhh, I know that now. I didn't understand why you didn't discuss leaving with me first."

"Well, I didn't think you cared."

"Emotions aren't really my thing," said Max stating what everyone else in the world knew. "I'm not good at putting them into words."

"Sometimes words are overrated. Sometimes there are better ways of expressing yourself," said a one-track-minded Millie, silencing Max with a finger to his lip. "Sometimes you just have to let the past go, and concentrate on now." She leaned in to kiss him and he met her half way.

Millie had expected that Max the lover would bound enthusiastically to the main action as he did with every other aspect of his life, so she had psyched herself into expecting everything to progress pretty quickly. Instead she was struck by the slow, almost reverential gentleness of Max's kisses and caresses. She almost found things like him thwarting her attempt to remove his shirt a little frustrating, now that she craved the sensation of her naked flesh against the chest her hand had just sampled.

Max couldn't help but notice the eagerness with which she responded to him, and this wasn't what he had expected from her. On one level he found this touchingly amusing, but overall it struck him as very appealing and very erotic. The results of his holding her back slightly were so pleasing he continued with this plan of attack. Eventually she took advantage of the way they were balanced to manoeuvre her way on top of him, sitting high over him and removing her own shirt before slowly bending forward to catch his mouth in a kiss. Max looked up at the pure whiteness of her skin, the curve of her breasts encased in the black lace of her bra, and used his superior strength to sit himself up then stand and hold out his hand to her to stand up beside him.

They stood looking at each other in the hotel room, which seemed silent apart from their breathing. Max took Millie's hand and said quietly "Come with me," and led her across the room and to the waiting bed...

A while later, a naked Millie made her way back from the bathroom to Max, who lay back in bed trying to decide if he preferred to view provided by the retreating Millie or the returning one. The returning Millie had the advantage that she was making her way back into bed with him, but the retreating one had paused so fetchingly and looked back over her shoulder at him. The vision of the look on her face and the curve of her back and hip kept him happy as he waited for her return. Once she was back she slid back into bed and they lay on their sides facing each other. Max kissed her then moved back a bit so he could admire her up close as he ran a lazy hand along her side, delighting in the slopes and valleys from her ribs to her thigh. Millie smiled as she watched him. There was something so childlike about Max, she thought, especially when he was wearing such a look of concentration. It put Millie in mind of a little boy with his racing cars and she half wanted to ask him why he wasn't making 'brrm brrm' noises.

When their eyes met they smiled shyly at each other. It wasn't that either was especially coy, it's just they were both a bit overwhelmed by it all. To Millie the night had been the achievement of a long standing goal, and to Max the whole situation with Millie was just such a surprise. Generally he viewed sex as a conquest, but here now with Millie he felt that it had been more like a surrender. He was mystified to discover that this wasn't really threatening to him.

Max turned onto his back and Millie wriggled closer and lay her face on his chest as he put an arm around her. "So," he said with a kiss on her forehead, "this farewell of yours that Sally didn't invite me to, did I miss out on anything? Apart from the chance of being able to prey on you in a drunken state and seduce you a whole four months earlier, meaning that just about now our relationship would be getting a bit stale..."

Millie reached behind her and grabbed a pillow, which she promptly whacked Max in the face with. "I will ignore your little joke, if one can call it that..." Max mockingly raised his eyebrows at her, "and confirm that yes I was very drunk and very vulnerable, yet managed to end up going home alone - although I did get to dance with DI Manson, and the Super was overheard saying I was a bit of all right!"

"Really? I can't picture Neil dancing! You should have stayed in the force then, as both the DI and the Super could have enhanced your career prospects, much more anyway than sleeping with a humble DS like myself could!" Max still didn't believe Millie had left the force, but was too scared to challenge her on the point again. And quite frankly the issue didn't really concern him too much at the moment, with the sensation of Millie's flesh against his, especially when she had got the pillow and her leg had carelessly found its way across his, and he felt the softness of her breast brushing up against his chest as she reached over him.

"Well, there's no denying you have a point there. And of course Neil is kind of cute..."

"Who would have guessed sweet little Millie Brown could be so cruel? I think she needs to be put back in her place!" said Max, pouncing on Millie and nuzzling into her neck. Soon their play turned to passion and she felt herself beginning to dissolve with pleasure into his embrace.

Just before daybreak, Millie stepped out onto the street and Max watched from the window as she hailed a taxi and made her way back to her car. It was only when she opened the car door and started the engine that she remembered that she actually had a boyfriend, and she had just been unfaithful to him. Somehow sleeping with Max had been so natural this hadn't occurred to her earlier.


	12. Chapter 12

**Max & Grace & Neil**

Max woke up alone in the hotel room, early enough for him to lie in bed for a while thinking. He had slept very soundly after Millie left, having been spared for the second night in a row any dreams of Millie being killed or hurt and it being his fault. Of course, there was another reason that he'd slept so well, and the smug smile that he wore as he lay there now was largely due to recounting in his head everything he and Millie had shared. In his recollections, Millie was like some human game of Pass the Parcel, or at least the form of the game he had seen played at his nephew's birthday recently. These days, he was surprised to learn, every layer of paper contained a prize, and from his impressions of Millie in her uniform, to her costume in Jenson's bar last night, to the Millie whose clothes he had peeled off so gradually and finally to their shared release of the exquisite longing this whole process had created, every stage in his physical discovery of her contained its treasure.

It occurred to him that the more he got to know about Millie, the more he found to like - and not just physically. Being Max, he couldn't deny that the thing about her that impressed him the most was how despite their intimacy last night, she was still determined to deny that she was still in the police force and working undercover. Max simply couldn't believe this to be the truth; there were just too many coincidences pointing otherwise for this story to be viable. Grace's recent use of the picture of Jenson's bar, Millie's weak story about sharing a flat with Grace, the fact that Millie's leaving had been kept from him, and of course the fact that Jenson was, well, Curtis Jenson, all added up to an undercover operation. Max couldn't help but admire Millie's dedication to her job, that she would lie point blank to someone with whom she was sharing such intimacy. He liked to think that perhaps working with him had influenced her to do this, and this thought added the self-satisfied look on his face.

It was Saturday, and although Max wasn't rostered on he figured it might be a good day to visit Sun Hill station and snoop around while things were quiet. He got up, showered, paid the bill for the room (worth every penny, he thought to himself) and drove to the station. He thought as he drove about the etiquette of his situation with Millie. He was used to one night stands where there was no need to make arrangements for a second meeting, or even so much as a courtesy call to say 'I had a great time, I'll call you'; but with Millie he naturally had hopes of a repeat performance. He wondered if it would be too early to ring once he got to the station, or should he wait and ring from home later in the day? He couldn't really make up his mind, so he decided to play it by ear.

The CID office was thankfully mostly empty, but Max noticed through the venetians of DI Manson's office that Neil and Grace were in there discussing something. As Max passed, Neil looked up and nodded at him. Max felt he had no option but to go in.

"Guv, Grace," Max said.

"Hi Max, what are you doing here on your day off?" asked Neil.

"I left, ahh, something here," said Max, desperately trying to think of a reasonable excuse. Then the light globe appeared over his head. "I'm helping a friend move today, and I left his address details on my desk. He's finally moving into a place on his own. I don't know about you two, but the thought of living in a share house outside your twenties just doesn't seem right."

It was obvious to both Grace and Neil where this was going, but both being masters of keeping a straight face, neither appeared fazed.

Grace knew her lines. "Well you know sometimes it's a necessity to live with someone else, especially in these troubled financial times. I myself had to take in a flatmate."

Although the possibility that Millie had worded Grace up had occurred to Max, he was still surprised by Grace's answer. Cool as a cucumber as always, he thought.

"Really? Gee, anyone I know? A fellow copper perhaps?"

"I would never live with someone I worked with," said Grace. "I don't believe in mixing the two sides of my life." She felt saying this to Max and Neil was preaching to the converted. "I did however meet my flat mate at work because she used to be an officer here."

"Well!" said Max, feigning surprise. "Anyone I know?" he repeated significantly.

Grace's moment had come, "You remember PC Millie Brown, late 20s, ginger hair? Oh, what am I saying of course you would, with that case you both worked on where she was kidnapped."

"You're right, I certainly wouldn't forget Millie," Grace's comment had made Max uncomfortable, but he couldn't argue with it.

"Anyway, just before she left she mentioned wanting to make leaving the force a complete change, so she was looking to move and was wondering how to afford it. I happened to overhear her, and suggested she move in with me."

"Very convenient all round," Max responded.

"Indeed," Grace wasn't going to let the sarcasm in Max's tone get to her.

"And it's an arrangement that works out well for both of us, as we get on well when we see each other, which doesn't happen very often with me working mostly days and her working nights. And of course," Grace looked Max straight in the eye, "she's over staying with her boyfriend a lot too, so she's not really around that much."

Neil Manson winced as he witnessed the look on Max's face as Grace said the word 'boyfriend'. Neil was very fond of Grace, considered her as possibly more than a friend in fact, but sometimes she amazed him with her seeming lack of heart.

"Boyfriend," repeated Max weakly. "I didn't know she was seeing anybody. But then I didn't know she had left either, so it's not like I should really consider myself her friend."

"His name's John, and he seems nice. I think she met him through work." Neil could hardly bear to watch. He wished Grace would stop.

Instead it was Max who ended the encounter. "Well, I'll let you two get back to it. I'll see you later." Max walked out of the office and made his way back out of the station, having completely forgotten about his excuse for being there.

Neil spoke once Max was safely out of earshot. "That was harsh Grace, really harsh."

Neil's reaction made Grace uncomfortable. "Guv, what choice did I have? For the sake of this whole operation I had to scare him away from Millie. He did take it a lot harder than I thought he would though."

"I felt that too. Do you think something happened between them when they met last night?" Neil's concern spread from being just about Max's state of mind to the integrity of this case.

"I haven't heard from Millie this morning, but last night she seemed pretty sure that nothing would happen. She's very dedicated to the operation and she's no fool either. I mean, she took the initiative to ring me and warn me about her meeting with Max. It would be pretty stupid of her to do anything when she knew she'd have to report to me about it afterwards."

"Agreed. It's funny how under any other circumstances hearing about Millie and Max getting together would make me very happy, but right now it would be a complete disaster."

"Sir, don't you think that it would be inappropriate for them to get together? After all, he's her senior officer." Grace looked down at the desk as she spoke.

"We're only human Grace," Neil responded. "And I think both Max and Millie are dedicated enough to the job not to let it interfere with their work; Millie because she loves rules, and Max because police work is his life."

"I see. I'd better let you get back to it now." Grace was suddenly quite flustered and from what little Neil could see of her face, almost appeared to be blushing.

"OK, Grace, let me know when you hear from Millie again, or if there are any other updates."

"Gov."

Grace left the room not quite knowing what to think about what Neil had said. She would have been very disappointed to know that after she left Neil's mind started to drift back to a young, dark haired PC with whom he had had a brief but significant fling. Poor Andrea, so young, so beautiful - how happy she had made him those few times they were together. How cruel life was to take her from him just when he realised what she meant to him. Judge Max harshly for loving a junior officer? Chastised him for it? No way would Neil do that. Neil felt he himself had been slightly humanised by his love for Andrea, and if Millie could do the same for Max, he, Neil, would be encouraging it every step of the way. If only it weren't to happen just now…


	13. Chapter 13

**Max & Millie again**

Max had arrived home when his phone rang and he looked at the screen to read the word MILLIE lit up before him. He sighed. Better get this done with.

"Millie," he said blankly. He said it without emotion.

"Hi…Max?" This wasn't the reaction Millie had expected from him. "Everything OK?"

"Great, yeah, I just didn't expect you'd call," Max just wanted this over quickly. He put on his best 'detached' tone.

"Oh," Millie's surprise was turning to dismay. "I just thought after last night…"

"Yeah, about that, um thanks. It was fun."

"Fun? Look Max, is that all it was to you?"

"Of course, what more could it be? I'm grateful to you for ending what had been a bit of a drought for me, but really, what did you expect?"

Millie fought to hold back her tears. "I guess I expected…something more…I, well, you just seemed so loving and…"

"Come on Millie, I'm an old hand at one night stands. Making the woman feel 'loved' is part of the whole performance."

Bastard! Bastard! Millie thought. Did he have to be so cavalier about it? Damn it, why did she have to start to cry?

Max, who felt he was the only injured party, heard her crying but his own pride and hurt simply made him more spiteful.

"Millie, I haven't got time for this. It's not my fault if you confuse sex with love. I've got to go, so I might see you around, though now you're not in the force that's unlikely," Max said sarcastically.

Millie was crying so much, she couldn't speak.

"Goodbye," Max said, then added, "Maybe if you need a bit of comforting, you can ring John. That'd be his role, wouldn't it?" Max pressed the off button and threw his phone down.

_John?_ Millie thought to herself. _Max must have spoken to Grace. _Millie could imagine Grace breaking the news of her having a boyfriend to Max none too gently for the sake of the case. Oh God, no wonder Max had been so cruel to her. But what could she do? Should she ring Max back and tell him that not thirty minutes ago she had rung John and told him that she didn't feel she was in the right frame of mind to commit to anyone at the moment, and they'd agreed amicably to end their three month relationship? Did that make any difference anyway? It didn't change the fact that she had proven herself to capable of cheating in relationships. She was sure that would mean something to someone as emotionally thwarted as Max, and indeed he had just proved her right.

She needed someone to tell her what she should do, so she decided she would give a Will a call. After all, he was a man, and he knew Max as well. She dialed his number.

"Will?"

"Hey Mills, what's up?"

"I just need to talk to someone. You see, last night I slept with Max…"

"Dear Lord, you don't just need to talk - you're obviously in need of serious therapy!"

"Sorry Will, you're very funny, but I just can't laugh about it at the moment."

"Love you and leave you did he? Can't say I'm surprised. I got the impression that was his style."

"It's not like that. He, um, someone told him about John."

"Ah yes, the increasingly absent John. I'd actually forgotten about him myself. Look Millie, I've got company at the moment," the way he said it told Millie it was female company, "so maybe we can speak tomorrow. How about a quick coffee? I'm working but I reckon I can fit that in. Say late morning, around 11, usual place?"

"Great. Thanks Will. See you then."

"Stay strong till then, and if you can't, try alcohol."

"Will do."

Millie hung up the phone and looked at the clock. Not long now until she had to be at rehearsals. Better make that call to Grace.

"Grace?"

"Millie. How did it go with Max last night? Did you work out what he wanted?"

"Yes, it went well. Nothing for us to worry about."

"So, did he pump you about Jenson?"

Millie raised an eyebrow at Grace's choice of words. "No more than I could handle. I think I managed to appease him."

"Good. He was in here before. Gave me the chance to corroborate your story about us sharing. Also, in case he was interested in you, I told him about John. I hope that's OK."

"Sure, though it is kind of ironic, because John and I just split up."

"Millie, I'm so sorry. How are you?"

"I'll get over it. At least tonight is 'sad song' night at the club, so I can sing it out of my system."

"Well, you know you can call me as a friend if you need to talk. So if you get lonely or anything…"

"Thanks Grace. If I weren't working tonight I'd invite you over to share a bottle or 5 with me. I'll see you later."

"Bye Millie."

Millie somehow got through her rehearsals, and her performance that evening was definitely one of her best. After the show, Curtis Jenson came up to speak to her.

"Amelia dear, I don't call you my star for nothing! You were sensational tonight! I don't think I've ever heard 'Love Don't Live Here Anymore' sung so convincingly!"

"Thank you," Millie smiled weakly.

"Hmm, seems to me my praise hasn't moved you. Is something wrong my dear?"

"Sorry, I am happy to hear you enjoyed my performance. I'm just, well I split up with my boyfriend today."

"Dear, I am sorry to hear that. Maybe you should have hung on to DS Carter's number, perhaps he could have cheered you up?"

Millie rolled her eyes, "Oh sure, he seemed like a barrel of laughs. No issues there!"

Jenson laughed, "My thoughts exactly. Mother issues would be my guess. My dear, you go home now and…" Jenson clicked his fingers at the barman and gestured below the counter, "take this home to help get you through the night". He handed her a rather nice pinot noir, then leant in towards her and whispered, "If you want anything else to ease the pain, I can get you that too."

This was the closest Jenson had ever come to involving her in anything to do with drugs.

"Thanks, but the red wine will do just nicely. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yes see you then, though I will be in a bit late. I'm paying an old friend a Sunday visit."

"Goodnight Mr Jenson."

"Goodnight Amelia."


	14. Chapter 14

**Warning: this chapter features a sweaty Max**

**Max's morning**

_Max's sleep was disturbed by the sensation of someone climbing onto his bed. All of a sudden he was aware of a weight upon him. He looked up to see Millie seated upright, straddling him. Her hair fell down around her shoulders. She may as well have been naked because the flowing garment she wore was completely diaphanous. She smiled at him and bent forward to kiss his lips. He couldn't do anything but respond. He roughly grabbed the back of her head with his hand and pulled her hungrily down to him. She tilted her head back as he devoured her face and neck. His hand ran up along her thigh, desperately trying to find the hem of her dress to work its way under it. She leaned forward again and the hand brushed her skirt out from under her. She looked at him and he swept the hair from her face. She panted as she smiled at him. Then she said, "I love you John…"_

These were the words that jolted Max into wakefulness the next morning. He put down the pillow he'd found himself using as a Millie-substitute and reflected on how much of a contrast this morning's waking was to that of the day before. Then he had been so happy, anticipating many new experiences with Millie and reflecting on the very pleasurable ones that had already been, and today he felt hung-over, foolish and alone. It was one thing to discover that Millie wasn't the shy little wallflower he had thought she was, but quite another to realise that she wasn't simply a sensuous, confident woman, but one who was keeping a series of men on a string, who would be unfaithful just like that. She may have had the sense to keep her uncover work a secret from him, but she wasn't smart enough not to tell Grace about John, Max thought to himself. Thank God for Grace telling him, otherwise he could have got very attached and very hurt.

Max got out of bed and stumbled into his open-plan kitchen and put the coffee on the stove. He looked at the scene around him. An empty bottle, a glass, the remnants of his dinner, his still-open laptop and the files he had been poring over were strewn across his dining table. After his conversation with Millie, Max had worked out his anxieties at the gym, and decided to focus on getting to the bottom of why Millie had been placed undercover with Jenson. He had returned to the CID office and grabbed any information he could on Jenson that he could take without anyone noticing. Of course getting as drunk as he did last night didn't really help him to make any breakthroughs, so seeing all the mess he had made to no avail just made him groan.

Max decided to go for a run to clear his head, and while he was getting ready his phone beeped to say he had a text. He looked at phone and the name Millie appeared. He thought for a moment about whether or not to bother reading it, but curiosity got the better of him. The text said, "Grace didn't know John & I had split up. Please call me, Millie". When he read those words he breathed a sigh of relief, but he was slightly annoyed that Millie had seen through his bravado and worked out that he had ended things between them because of John. Once again he debated with himself about what to do. He was longing to see Millie, but he didn't know if he could trust her. He couldn't think of any other time in his life when he put himself through so much potential embarrassment for someone. Perhaps the run would help him clear his thoughts.

It wasn't early in the morning, but it wasn't an especially warm day, and Max found the cold air a bracing cure for his groggy head. So should he contact Millie? He weighed up the pros and cons. Pro: obviously the sex. That was something he'd like to repeat again - and again! Con: she hadn't mentioned she had been seeing someone. Pro: he had really enjoyed being with her and felt there could be dimensions to their relationship beyond just the physical. Con: she had already hurt him really badly, and was it worth the risk of being hurt again? Pro: he had behaved heartlessly in the past to her and she had always given him the benefit of the doubt. Con: relationships bring responsibility and he was used to his look after Number 1 lifestyle. Pro: would get Mum off his back about getting a girlfriend. Con: would start Mum asking when they were getting married and giving her more grandchildren...

Max had seen Millie dealing with children, and she seemed a natural at it. He recalled the day Millie was kidnapped, when he watched her comfort Jade Hopkins's son before handing him over to the Social Services. He smiled at the image of Millie with the baby in her arms, pacifying him. Then something about that situation struck him that hadn't occurred to him before: he had talked to Millie then and she had ignored him. She was usually shy with him, but Max got the sense that on this occasion it wasn't a matter of shyness, but anger. He had spoken to her and the only response she had made to his comments was a sarcastic "Really" before she had stormed off. It finally clicked with Max that this was the point when Millie's compliance had ended, and she'd started challenging him. And he realised it was just after his comment about her having nothing between her ears. It made him realise just how much he had hurt her by what he said. And here he was, lashing out at her again.

Max stopped to catch his breath. Once he could speak without panting he dialed Millie's number.

Millie picked up almost immediately. "Max! Thanks for calling."

Max wished he'd rehearsed what to say before he'd rung. "Go ahead, talk," he said eventually.

Millie didn't know what to make of him. "I think it would be easier if we can meet or something. I'm actually just on my way out to meet Will..."

This was not something Max wanted to hear. "Is this patch-things-up-with-your-lovers' day or something?"

"Max, Will is my friend, nothing more. Don't tell me you've never slept with someone before becoming their friend."

Max hadn't, but he had heard it could happen. He still didn't know what to do. His silence was really beginning to worry Millie.

"Please Max, I never, ever meant to hurt you. Won't you meet with me for lunch?" There was pleading in her voice.

"OK." Her desperation was working on Max. Somehow he instinctively wanted to make the hurt tone in her voice go away.

"Thank you! I have to be at rehearsal at 230, so what say we meet about 1, at that café opposite the park…"

"Yep I know it. See you then."

"OK. Bye Max."

**Jenson's Morning**

As Curtis Jenson had remarked to Millie, that Sunday he was paying a visit to an old friend. He didn't mention that the friend happened to be in Longmarsh Prison and that he happened to have been interviewed in connection with the toyshop robbery by Will and Millie. Millie's praise of Jenson as an employer was in many ways well deserved, as it's not every boss who would visit their incarcerated employee for reasons other than to threaten them into keeping quiet. Bill Palmer had served Jenson well over the years, and Jenson was happy to show his appreciation. Plus, Bill had a savvy business mind and Jenson had some ideas for the club at which Millie worked that he wanted to share with Bill.

On his way to the visitors' area Jenson rolled his eyes as he let himself be scanned and frisked to make sure he wasn't bringing in any contraband.

"I left my laptop at home," he told the Prison Guard sarcastically, "But I did bring some photos. Nothing pornographic or seditious I assure you. Here, have a look."

Jenson thrust the pictures into the Guard's hand, and the Guard gave them a cursory look before returning them to Jenson.

"Thank you," said Jenson as he made his way over to a table to wait for Bill. He flared a nostril as he looked around the room at the riff raff assembled. He like to see himself as a gentleman gangster and didn't have much time for other criminals.

Bill arrived and reached out a hand for Jenson to shake. The two men then sat down and make the customary small talk. Then their conversation turned to the business issues Jenson wanted Bill's input on. He pulled out the photo prints to illustrate his questions.

"Now you see how we've got the stage here, I was thinking if we took out the wall here…"

Bill stopped him. "Wait, wait, wait – who's the red head there?" he asked.

"Ah, my lovely Amelia. Very talented, smart, gorgeous. Great dancer and singer…"

"She's a copper," said Bill. "She's the copper who interviewed me over the money they caught me with. PC…Smith? No, it was something common, but not that… Brown, PC Brown."

Jenson was horrified. "Are you sure? Amelia? She's spying on me?"

"I think she was the PC that Si Jones kidnapped," added Bill.

Jenson's mind flashed back to Max's visit to his bar when Millie was taken, and remembered Max's anxiety over the missing PC.

"Of course, this explains Carter's visit to the club the other night, and his willingness to ask me for help back then in finding the kidnappers. She's more than a colleague to him – he's in love with her!"

"What are you going to do?" Bill asked.

"Don't worry, I'll think of something. No one who double-crosses Curtis Jenson gets off lightly. And I can make Carter suffer at the same time…"

Jenson left the prison and made a call from his mobile. "It's me. I have an assignment for you and Jeff. Go to the staff records and get the address for Amelia, you know the redhead. Then pay her a visit and bring her to the club. And oh, if she sustains an slight injury on the way, nothing too serious, just enough to scare her, I won't hold you responsible."

Meanwhile, Millie had just finished her coffee with Will, and was annoyed to find that she had left her purse at home. She decided to dash home to collect it before meeting Max at 1 (asking for him to pay for lunch after what she'd done to him didn't seem appropriate). As she turned the corner from her street, she was surprised by two men who suddenly appeared either side on her. One of them took her by the elbow, the other pointed what felt remarkably like the barrel of a gun into her side.

"Just stay calm and climb into the car," one of them hissed in her ear. Millie obeyed and climbed into the back seat, and then reeled and held her smarting face as one of them climbed in after her and whacked her across the check. She removed her hand from her face and discovered that it was covered in blood.


	15. Chapter 15

**Max is Stood Up**

At first when Millie hadn't appeared at the appointed time, Max was annoyed. All of the tender feelings that Millie's revelation she was single again had evoked were overpowered by anger and hurt. What was she trying to prove, that she had power over him? Max drank his coffee alone, and made sure he didn't shy away from smiling at any pretty girls who paid him attention.

When 2 o'clock came and went and still no Millie, Max started to panic. He rang her mobile, but it just went to voicemail. Knowing Millie was undercover had him really worried. What could he do? He didn't know where she lived, so he couldn't go check her house. He couldn't ring Sun Hill, because he couldn't let Grace or Neil know that he knew about Millie's assignment. Plus, if she had decided the she just wasn't interested in him, he would be humiliated letting them know she didn't turn up to meet him. Then he had an idea. Millie had said she was meeting Will before their lunch date. He checked the list of contacts on his phone – he still had Will's mobile on it. He dialed Will's number.

"DC Fletcher."

"Will, it's Max Carter."

"Max?" Will hadn't expected this. "What's up?"

"Did you meet Millie today?"

"Hardly a crime, Max. Why do you want to know?"

"Because she was supposed to meet me afterwards, and she's well over an hour late."

"What? That's very unlike Millie. When she left me she was certainly intending to see you. She was quite keen to in fact. She'd left her wallet at home and she had to go back there first. She hurried off so she would be on time to meet you."

"I'm worried Jenson's done something to her."

"Jenson? Curtis Jenson?" _Still on about Jenson_, Will thought. _Max w__anted so much to blame him over Millie's kidnapping _"Living in the past a bit aren't you mate? What would he want with Millie now?"

"You obviously don't know then, that Jenson owns the club Millie sings at?"

Will was stunned, "No I didn't! Millie's working undercover?" Will jumped to the same conclusion Max had.

"That's what I believe. She still denies it to me though, and it looks like she didn't mention it to you either. She told me she was sharing a flat with Grace, so I reckon she's involved somehow. And probably Manson."

"Her and Grace sharing? No way! So, what are you going to do? You going to ring Sun Hill?"

"No, I think it's best to be discreet with this one. I'll check things out at the club first."

"Do you think that's wise?"

"I don't know what else to do, and I have to do something."

"Well, let me know how you go Max. Call me back this afternoon if you can."

"Will do." Max paid for his coffee and started making his way towards the club.

**Meanwhile, in the dungeon…**

Millie had been taken to the club and bundled into one of the cellars of the old building. She was to wait there, she was told, until Jenson arrived. He wanted to speak to her. They had taken her bag and her phone, and she really wanted a drink of water. She was contemplating what to do next, or at least she was trying to, because the foremost thought in her mind at that moment was wondering what Max would be thinking. She was sure that he wasn't the type to give people third chances, and being stood up wasn't something he would tolerate after his hurt at finding out about John.

The door opened and a very angry Curtis Jenson strode in, flanked by the two henchmen who had grabbed Millie. There was absolutely no sign of a smile or friendliness on Jenson's face as he entered the room. _Oh shit_, Millie thought to herself.

Jenson was beyond simply being angry. He felt Millie had made a fool of him. He had genuinely liked and trusted her, and now it came out she had abused his trust in the worst possible way. It was all he could do to maintain his composure.

Eventually, Jenson nodded at Millie, "Amelia. You are no doubt aware of how very fond I have been of you while you have worked for me…"

"I too, Sir…" Millie started to speak, but Jenson silenced her with a wave of his hand.

"So you can imagine how upset I am at having discovered that you are in fact spying on me. Your secret is out. I know you are a policewoman!"

Millie decided to try sticking to her usual story, "I admit Sir, I _was _in the force, but I quit to return to singing."

"Oh really?" purred Jenson. "Well, all is forgiven then. Jeff you are sacked for giving Amelia that nasty cut on her face." The venom behind Jenson's sarcasm made Millie flinch.

"I am telling you the truth. Policing is just not for me. I wanted to return to what I did best…"

"Explain your charade with DS Carter the other night then." _Bugger,_ thought Millie. Jenson continued. "DS Carter who was so distraught when a certain young PC was kidnapped about a year ago. Who appears in my club and goes all doe-eyed over my prize singer, who then dances with her and she swoon in his arms. Never heard of him hey? Explain then why my police contact confirms that a PC Millie Brown worked at Sun Hill station with DS Carter. See the photo my contact sent me? Looks rather like you don't you think?" Jenson thrust the picture into Millie's face. Then with his other hand he slapped her hard.

"Mr Jenson, please," Millie touched her face to find the bleeding had started again, "let me explain. Yes I worked with DS Carter, and yes I worked at Sun Hill. I was in the force for 7 years, but it didn't suit me, so I left. You've heard me sing. Do I sound like an undercover police officer, or a professional? I would hope it's obvious it's my vocation."

Jenson looked at her and considered what to say next. He was interrupted by someone entering the room.

"Mr Jenson, thought you'd like to know, that police officer who was here the other night is snooping around in the laneway."

"Is he now?" Jenson looked at Millie. "Your story holds less and less water all the time. Jeff, go and surprise DS Carter and throw him into the van for me. We will meet you there shortly with PC Brown here. And Jeff, I think it's best if DS Carter is unconscious. But don't kill him." Jeff left the room.

"Now, Amelia, sorry, _Millie_, it's obvious it's too risky keeping you here, so we're going on a little journey. As a special favour, I'm not going to tie you up. I'm sure you won't make any trouble will you, you'll come along quietly?"

Millie nodded and let Jenson lead her none to gently by the arm. She would do anything he said. She had to make sure Max was safe.


	16. Chapter 16

**Will to the Rescue**

When Will hadn't heard from Max by 4:30, he knew that it was time to do something. Max could go on all he liked about being able to handle things himself, but this was Millie's life he was risking too, in addition to what sounded like an important case that Sun Hill was working on. He rang the station hoping to catch either Neil or Grace, but neither was there. In the end he called Neil on his mobile.

"Hello." Neil was apparently in weekend mode.

"DI Manson, it's Will Fletcher."

"Will, this is unexpected. How are you going?"

"I'm fine Sir, but that's another story. I'm actually ringing because, well, is Millie Brown working undercover?"

"Strange question! Why on earth would you think that?" Neil said warily. "You know she left the force."

"Look, I guess you don't have to tell me anything, but the point is Max Carter rang me before because Millie was supposed to be meeting him, but never showed up."

Neil wondered again what was happening with those two. "Maybe she thought better of meeting him and stood him up?" suggested Neil.

"I don't think so," said Will. "I had coffee with her just before she was due to meet Max, and she definitely intended to go. This is why Max rang me, to make sure she'd kept her appointment with me. Anyway, he had this theory that she was working for Curtis Jenson undercover, and he was worried Millie had been discovered."

This was sounding more and more likely to be the case to Neil, but he tried to appear nonchalant. "Thanks Will, I'll look into it. Of course Millie isn't still an officer, but if Jenson got the impression she was, I shudder to think what he'd do. Can I call you back if we need any more info from you?"

"Of course, in fact I'd appreciate it if you did. Millie's a good friend of mine."

"So I've heard. So, is something going on between Max and Millie?"

Was DI Manson being gossipy? It was Will's turn to lie. "I can assure you Guv, there 's nothing romantic happening there. Millie is sensible and Max is... Max, if you know what I mean."

"I do know what you mean. Thanks Will."

"Bye sir."

Neil hung up and straight away rang Grace.

"Hi Grace, it's Neil. Have you heard from Millie recently?"

"Not since yesterday, why?"

"I've had a call from Will Fletcher saying that Millie failed to show up for a meeting she had with Max. I'll go into more detail when I see you, but is it OK if I collect you now and we head straight to Millie's? Max thinks Jenson may have found out about Millie, and I'm beginning to worry he might be right. In the meantime, you try calling her."

"OK Guv, I'll be ready when you get here."

**Max, Millie and Curtis Jenson**

The back door of the van slid open and Millie was aware of a weight being turfed into the back beside her. The door closed and she looked to see the weight was in fact an unconscious Max. She covered her mouth to muffle her the scream she felt rise in her throat. _God, please make him be OK. _She checked him over as best she could and craddled his head in her lap. It was too dark to see much, but from what she could feel Max wasn't bleeding, but had a nasty lump on the back of his head. She stroked his face and slapped it gently in an attempt to revive him.

The van started to move. Millie steadied Max's head and stopped herself from being flung over by the sudden lurching of the vehicle. The van bumped along, and then suddenly Millie sensed that Max was coming to. Once he had gained sufficient consciousness to realise he didn't know where he was, he attempted to sit up, but the motion was obviously too sudden for him, and he sank back down painfully.

"Max, it's me, Millie," she whispered to him.

"Millie!" Max whispered back reaching up to stroke her face, "Oh thank God, you're ok." He hugged her as tightly as was possible from his prone position.

"What were you doing at the club?" Millie asked.

"When you didn't turn up for lunch, I got concerned."

"I've been worrying you might not give me another chance…"

"Well to be perfectly honest I was angry at first when you didn't show up. But then I realised something was wrong. I rang Will and he said you should be on your way. So then I had to do something..."

"Jenson knows I used to be a cop," Millie didn't think she should come out from undercover just yet. The less Max knew the better for his sake. "He has a contact in the force apparently, who gave him information about me and confirmed that you and I worked together. So he got suspicious about you coming to the club the other night."

The van stopped. Max said quickly, "Don't worry Millie, I'm here to protect you now."

Millie almost laughed, then she realised he wasn't joking. She adopted a serious tone.

"Likewise," said Millie.

They both squinted as the door to the van slid open and their eyes adjusted to the brightness of the outside world. They didn't get much of a chance to acclimatize to the light because they were immediately pulled to standing position and sacks thrown over their heads. Max initially resisted, but the two men assigned to hold him quickly overpowered him. Max and Millie were forced to walk forward for what seemed like some distance, down stairs, through echoey spaces, and carpeted rooms, until finally everyone stopped.

Jenson spoke. "Take the bags off their heads." His henchmen obeyed freeing first Millie and then Max. They found themselves in a large storage space of some sort, possibly one that had been used as a cool room, but thankfully didn't appear to be chilled now.

Max moved protectively towards Millie and noticed the blood on her face. "Millie! You're hurt! Jenson, you bastard! Do what you like to me, but…"

"I know, 'let the girl go', blah blah. Very noble of you DS Carter. Unfortunately in this case it's the girl I want most to suffer, as she's the one who's wronged me."

"What's she done to you? Raised the standard of your chorus line?"

"Very droll. You know perfectly well what she's done. She's working undercover in my establishment. She's a police officer and she lied to me about it. She betrayed my trust."

"She _was _a police officer, she isn't any more."

"Oh come off it Carter!"

"Look I understand your skepticism – I didn't believe it at first either. Why did you think I came to your club that night?"

"To check up on how the operation was going, obviously."

"Wrong. I found out you owned the club Millie was working at, and I jumped to the same conclusion as you, that she was undercover. But I found out she wasn't. Everything I've heard from her and from work confirms this. Millie was a singer before she joined the force, and she's returned to performing now."

Jenson studied Max's face carefully. "But of course you would cover for her. You love her. I remember how upset you were when she was kidnapped last year…"

"That's wasn't because he loved me," here Millie spoke up. "That was because he felt guilty. Max barely knew I was alive until I went missing on his watch. We've hardly spoken since I was released." Admitting this as the truth of the situation was hurtful to Millie.

"Well he seems pretty fond of you now!" Jenson still sounded dubious.

"It's amazing how much more attractive someone can be after you've seen them in vinyl hot pants," Millie gamely made an attempt at humour. Max was nervous, he thought she was taking a big risk.

Luckily, Jenson almost smiled. "Oh Amelia, your humour is one of the many reasons I love – sorry, loved – you so much! I don't want to hurt you, but I'm afraid I have to. After all, you've have wounded me, my dear, very deeply. I must say I'm surprised at DS Carter's behaviour throughout this affair – getting himself caught like that today! Doesn't seem very professional to me. I could almost believe his involvement is not official."

"Believe me, there's nothing official here at all, Mr Jenson," Millie said, "Too be honest, I'd been interested in Max for a long time, but he never looked twice at me. Until he thought I might be a case for him to solve. Max's true love is his job." Max looked over to Millie, but she didn't make eye contact with him.

"You know, I actually believe you about that, you seem genuinely hurt. Now, what to do, what to do…? I need to think. And you need to apologise to my Amelia, Mr Carter. Come on boys, we've hurt them enough for the moment. "

"But Mr Jenson, you're not going to let them get away with this, are you?" asked Jeff.

Jenson lowered his voice, "Don't worry I'm not, but killing them now would be too easy for them. There's potential here to make them suffer a lot more". He raised his voice again so Millie and Max could hear too, "Now, let's leave the star-crossed lovers alone for a while."

Jenson and his entourage swept out of the room and slammed and bolted the reinforced door, leaving Millie and Max alone, looking awkwardly at each other.


	17. Chapter 17

**Warning: This chapter contains references to black stockings, thighs and condoms.**

**The Hostages alone**

Max eventually moved towards Millie.

"Here, let me look at what they've done to you," he said gently, peeling her hair from her face. Some wisps of it were stuck there with blood. "Doesn't seem too serious, more of a scratch by the look of it. Does it hurt?"

"Not especially." Millie was still a bit sheepish after having said in front of Max that she liked him for a long time.

Max hated feeling weak or out of control, and finding out about John had made him feel Millie had something over him. So Millie's revelation had worked to appease him, and he felt more confident about his position in the relationship. He pulled Millie close to him and held her.

Millie closed her eyes and wallowed in the sensation of sanctuary created by being in his arms.

Max loosened his grip and held her away from him slightly, and looked her up and down.

"Hey, look at you in a skirt!" Millie was wearing a mid-thigh length skirt, black stocking and knee high boots.

"I did make a bit of an effort to look nice for our meeting today," she said.

"Well I'm very pleased I got to see the result; very, very pleased," he said gently biting her ear. "But at the moment I'm still feeling a little unsteady after that beating. Let's sit down."

Max certainly did seem a bit wobbly as Millie helped him to a nearby crate. She sat down beside him, and tried to have a better look at his injury. Just as she had thought, there was a lump but no blood.

"I'll have a look around, try and work out where we are," Millie said getting up. The space they were in was large and there were crates and boxes scattered around. Millie found that there was an unlocked door at one end of it that led to a small corridor. There were a few small windows, very high up and too small for either of them to get through.

Millie returned to Max. "Well at least it appears we have running water," she reported. "This is such a step up from my last kidnap!"

Max was getting used to Millie's habit of making jokes in serious situations. He was beginning to really appreciate it. He patted the space beside him on the crate for her to sit down again.

Millie obliged and he put his arm around her and said. "OK, we need to plan. We don't know when Jenson will return."

"I doubt he'll be back today you know," Millie said.

"You seem pretty sure of that."

"He'll want to be at the club tonight. He's always there all night Sunday. He likes to supervise the closing down of the club at the end of each week."

"Really? Seems unlikely he'll return then. Well, seeing as you're so sure we'll be alone tonight, let's get to the important things," Max said, pulling Millie towards him and working a hand up her thigh and under her skirt.

Millie got her revenge for the other night but stopping the hand in its tracks. "Max!" she said in mock-chastisement. "This is hardly the time…"

Millie's playfulness in a crisis was rubbing off on Max, "Come on Millie,' he said between kisses. "What if Jenson kills us? Shouldn't we make our time here special."

"But whether we're killed or freed, what if Eddie has to examine this as a crime scene? It's amazing what he can work out…"

"Then we'd be providing him and Jo with endless hours of amusement, as he tells her, 'they had sex on that crate, on the floor, up against the wall there…'"

"Well we are in for a busy time then aren't we?" Millie said, still trying hard to resist. "Anyway, they took my bag so I don't have any condoms."

Max felt his pocket. "Hey, what do you know, I do!" he smiled. "Can't believe they didn't take them from me when I was unconscious. So, you owe me make up sex..."

Millie smiled and kissed him. Then she held his hand and looked at him. "We really should think of other things first,"

Max sighed, and knew from her look the time had come to be serious again. "OK then," he said. "Talk to me."

"Well, I have two confessions to make."

_Oh Great,_ thought Max.

"Firstly, technically I was still seeing John when we had sex," she cringed in anticipation of his reaction. "Although I rang him and ended it as soon as I could after I got home from our night together. And anyway, for the fortnight leading up to that, he had been breaking our dates, so it was in its last stages anyway."

"I see." Max had taken his hand away from hers.

"I never really regarded it as a real relationship, and with you it was completely different. With you it really, really meant something. And if we were together, I swear I would never cheat on you."

"Just stop there," said Max calmly, "and go onto your second confession. You're going to tell me you slept with Will yesterday aren't you?"

"NO!" If Max weren't shaking Millie up so much with his reaction, she would have laughed at this. "I will never, ever sleep with Will again, OK?"

"OK, spit it out then." Max didn't know what he was going to do if the second confession was worst than the first.

"Secondly," Millie felt there was no need not to tell Max now. They were in this together. "I am still a police officer, and I am working undercover gathering intelligence about Jenson."

Max turned and looked at Millie, who was almost cowering waiting for his reaction. He grabbed her cheeks in both his hands and gave her a big kiss on the mouth. Then he burst out laughing. "Oh, I know that, Millie!" He gave her a hug, "I knew that from the moment I saw you and Jenson, and I never had any doubt about it. I have well over a decade's experience at this type of thing, remember?"

He went to cuddle her again, but he saw the wounded look on her face. He realised she thought he was criticising her policing skills – again! He straightened his face. "Millie," he said. "It's not a criticism of your ability as a police officer to say I knew what you were up to. There were many other factors that led me to suspect.."

"Such as…?" Millie's expression said _This better be good!_

"The big tip off was when Grace left a picture of the club in the printer the other day. I only found out where you were working because I checked the club after seeing this picture, then saw you out the front. I was of course surprised that you weren't in touch with Roger or other people you'd been close to as well. Also it seemed strange no one seemed to know where you worked. But if you want reassurance about your abilities Millie, you know, I am certain we are only alive now because you were so convincing that Jenson believed you before - although it's obviously against his better judgment. I think he meant to have us both dead on the spot, I really do - despite his cartoon villain "I want to make them suffer" talk. You've had him fooled all the time you were working for him, you can see how much he likes and trust you."

Max's words, and the fact that Grace might be to blame for her cover being blown rather than her, defrosted Millie somewhat. She let Max put his arm around her.

Max continued, "In fact, every time I've seen you operate, especially in a crisis, I've been blown away by your ability. Probably the big factor for me in deciding that I," Max searched for the right phrase, "really liked you was the fact that you were so protective of your cover you could keep it from me…", he tried to gauge if it were the right time to attempt a joke, "even after I'd tried to seduce it out of you. That told me how much integrity you have, how much of a professional you are." He grinned, "Of course the fact that I find you sexy as hell, especially in black stockings," there was that hand on her thigh again, "and sex with you is, well, incredible," he kissed her face softly several times, " and every inch of you is so edible," his lips met hers, "all contributed too."

He kissed her slowly and deeply.

Millie pulled back and smiled at him and whispered, "I love you, Max."

Max sighed, "Ah…" he said. "That's just not the type of thing I say."

"I know," Millie responded, kissing him. "But in case we do get killed, I just wanted you to hear it."


	18. Chapter 18

**The Reaction at Sun Hill**

After Grace and Neil's fruitless trip to Millie's flat, they made their way to Sun Hill station, where Superintendent Meadows was waiting for them.

"Neil, Grace. What's the story?" asked Jack.

Neil filled Jack in. "Guv, to cut a long story short, Max has somehow made the connection between Millie's new job and the fact the club is owned by Curtis Jenson, so he's convinced she's been working undercover. He visited Millie at work, and apparently they'd arranged to meet for lunch today. Millie didn't show. Will Fletcher called me after Max rang him asking if he knew where Millie was."

"So we think Millie's been taken?" asked Jack. "Why was she meeting Max again?"

"We aren't sure. Millie hadn't mentioned the meeting to me," replied Grace.

"Where's Max then?" Jack asked.

"He's not contactable either," said Neil. "One of our next stops will be his house."

"Yes, check there first. We won't panic until we've made sure the two of them just aren't tucked away together there or something. If you can't find them there, then we'll swing into action."

"Should we reveal Millie's assignment then?" Grace was concerned. "This Jenson case is big, and I don't think we want to blow it just yet."

Jack looked at Neil, who responded, "Guv, I think in the first instance we can say that Millie is just a missing civilian. Grace or I can perhaps handle the search for Max initially, maybe getting Smithy to assign us someone from uniform if needed."

"OK. Now, get to Max's and let me know how you go. I'll get back up if necessary when I hear from you."

Once Grace and Neil had confirmed there were no obvious signs of occupation at Max's, Jack started organizing everyone available for a briefing on their return. He called in Jo and Stevie as well. They were assembled along with uniform when Neil and Grace returned.

"All right everybody, listen up," said Neil. "A former colleague of ours, Amelia 'Millie' Brown has been reported as missing."

There was a general commotion in the room. Roger asked the first question. "Who reported it, Guv?"

"Another former colleague of ours, DC Will Fletcher." Neil sighed, anticipating the reaction from the room to his next revelation. "Will had had coffee with her this morning and after she left he received a call from DS Max Carter, whom Millie was supposedly meeting for lunch. Millie never showed up to lunch."

The mutterings going around the room quickly turned to sniggers and elbow nudges. "I would like to point out," Neil raised his voice to quiet the room, "that we do not believe that anything is necessarily happening between Millie and DS Carter, Millie and Will or even Max and Will. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR."

Everyone sat silent and (almost) straight-faced.

"Even so," Leon was the first to break their silence, "Why are we so worried only a matter of hours after she was last seen?"

"Because," continued Neil, "Millie used to be a police officer, and certain people could react badly to that. Secondly, we have discovered that the owner of the club at which Millie is working is in fact one Curtis Jenson, a known major player in the local crime scene."

The mutterings of concern returned to the room.

"So," continued Jack, "You can see why we are nipping this one in the bud. However, just so you know, we have not yet done anything like contact Millie's family. This is all precautionary at this stage."

"OK," Neil went on, "First things first, we are going to search Jenson's bar. Jo, Stevie, and…" he looked at Uniform, "Nate and Leon, you will accompany me there. Smithy will assign tasks for the rest of you. And Roger, if you could please remain and have a word with Grace and Jack. Thanks everyone. Good luck!"

Jo, Stevie, Nate and Leon walked out to the car together.

"So," said Jo, "Who thinks Max and Millie are shagging?"

The other three all raised their hands.

"Shame," said Stevie. "I always gave Millie more credit than to go for Max."

"I'm offended she'd sleep with him and Will, but not me," said Nate.

"Mate," said Leon, "You told her it was a toss up between her and the station dog in a game of Bed, Wed, or Dead, remember?"

"I always thought she was rather cute," sighed Jo. "Shame she didn't go my way."

"I don't think you would have had to try too hard," said Nate winking at Leon. "Millie is, what do you call it…?"

"Bisexual?" ventured Jo.

"Openminded," said Nate. "She wasn't one not to try new experiences."

"Well then, hurry up!" said Jo. "We better get on with finding my Millie."

"I didn't know you and Millie were close Jo?" Neil said, catching up with them and hearing only last part of their conversation.

"We all love Millie, sir," said Stevie with a smile, hopping into the car with Jo and Neil, as the boys went to an area car. "See, here we are sacrificing our Sunday to look for her."

"Why would Millie get a job with Curtis Jenson Guv? Surely she knows what he's involved in," said Jo once they were driving.

"My guess would be that the whole kidnapping thing she went through made her want to get as far removed from being a police officer as possible. Plus Millie was apparently always an advocate for criminal rehabilitation, from what I've heard. She didn't believe in prejudging people."

"And what about Max's involvement?" asked Stevie. "I know you said nothing was happening between them, but why…"

"I think you and Jo should know the answer to that," Neil said, looking into the back seat of the car at Stevie, and then beside him at Jo. "I can hear what you say from my office you know. 'It's your fault Millie left the force Max' etc. One thing I've noticed about Max is that he starts off being detached and then things get to him eventually. I think he felt bad about Millie leaving and wanted to reassure himself it wasn't his fault."

"And the fact that she's gorgeous was no motivation for him at all," Jo raised a doubting eyebrow.

"There's no reason for us to assume it was," responded Neil.

They pulled up outside Jenson's club. Nate and Leon arrived soon after. "Guv," said Leon. "We just took a call from Smithy telling us that Curtis Jenson has rung in to report that one of his singers, an Amelia Barrett 'nee Brown' - as he put it, hasn't turned up for work tonight."

"That serves us well as an excuse for our visit," said Neil. They all went inside.

On Sunday evenings the patrons of Jenson's bar arrived slightly earlier than on Friday or Saturday, so already people were shuffling in looking for a meal before the show. Neil and co. worked their way inside and were directed to Jenson's office. When they entered he was sitting at his desk, remote in hand, watching a dvd of Millie singing.

_"You must realise_

_You took your love and left me quite by surprise_

_You can be sure that now_

_It's gonna take a miracle_

_Yes it's gonna take a miracle to make me love someone new_

_Coz I'm crazy for you"_

"Mr Jenson," said Neil.

Jenson paused the song and looked up.

"That was quick," he said, looking at the assembled officers. "And so many of you involved too. Glad to see you're taking this seriously." He started the dvd again. "This is my lovely Amelia. One of my best performers actually. Never been late before, only ever had one day off. I was expecting her for rehearsals at 230 this afternoon, but she didn't turn up then and once it was time for her to be here for the show and she wasn't, I was very worried. This is her performance last night. Listen to the pain in that voice." He raised the volume.

_"A rush on rum_

_Of brush and drum_

_And the past is a blue note_

_Inside of me_

_I ran away in the morning"_

"Laura Nyro," said Jo. "Very nice. Suits her voice."

Jenson continued, "I'm very close to Amelia, and last night before she left she confided that she'd split up with John, her boyfriend." The team looked at each other. Jenson leaned forward meaningfully. "My fear is that she might have done something…silly."

"You mean like, hurt herself?" asked Stevie.

"Or worse, possibly," Jenson said ominously.

"I presume you know, Mr Jenson, that Millie used to be a police officer. At our station in fact," said Neil.

"Yes, I was surprised to discover that only recently," said Jenson. "Luckily, however, I am an equal opportunity employer."

"Ha, yes," Neil made vague acknowledgement of Jenson's humour. "Our fear is perhaps someone she arrested or dealt with in her career may have a grudge against her. Because of this, you will understand, and also because of your…previous encounters with us, we would appreciate it if you let my officers here search your premises before we spread the net wider."

"But of course," replied Jenson. "Be my guest."

"And we'll need any CCTV footage you have."

Jenson handed him a pile of dvds. "I had them all ready for you. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Jenson raised the volume and turned away from them to concentrate on Millie.

Nate and Leon's request to be the ones to search the dressing rooms was denied by Neil, who sent Stevie and Jo instead (Jo gave the boys a big grin as she passed them). As expected, the search of the club revealed nothing. While they were reassembling to leave, Neil's phone rang.

"That was Grace," said Neil, "They've found a white van on CCTV leaving the laneway of this club at around 1530 this afternoon. Looks like they've been able to track its progress too. We may be in luck."


	19. Chapter 19

**Night Time in the Freezer**

Millie was right about Jenson being in no hurry to return, and as the sun left the sky and night set in their cell became colder and colder. Their only source of light was a single rather dim bulb, and although they found old dust covers they didn't really offer much in the way of warmth. Both Max and Millie had jackets on, but they were only weighted to suit the middle of a spring day. Max of course pointed out the two things necessary to keep them warm through the night: body heat and vigorous exercise. Naturally a bit of that went on, but as sleep seemed to elude them they spent a lot of time together in their makeshift bed, lying in each other's arms, talking.

"Ouch, why are you shifting your legs around like that?" Max asked, as his comfort was once again disturbed by Millie's edgy movements.

"You try sleeping in stockings, they're itchy!" Millie retorted.

"I've told you before, just take them off!" Max tried a poker face, but it was obvious his motivation for this suggestion was not simply Millie's comfort.

"That would suit you, wouldn't it?" Millie kicked him playfully. "But unfortunately it's just too damn cold! And I'm hungry."

"Yes, I wish you'd been kidnapped after lunch too, so we both could have eaten." Max responded grumpily. "Even though it's hard to think on an empty stomach, we really have to use this time to work out what we are going to do about Jenson. So, do you think it's significant to the case that he's always there Sunday nights?"

"Yes I do."

"Well what exactly does he do when he's there Sunday?"

"Not that I've been there the entire night, but that's when they dismantle sets if there's a new programme the next week, sort out new menus, get rid of old stocks of food or whatever, work out what they need to restock wine etc."

"So is it as basic as using any of these to transport drugs do you think?"

"No I don't. And I don't think this club is where he offloads or receives his drugs either. My guess would be that that would be done where Mick and Si were getting theirs."

"That's nice. Not everybody is on first name basis with their kidnappers."

"Come on Max, I felt sorry for them. They were nice guys, just desperate." Millie had decided that this was not the time to mention Mick to Max, if ever there would be one.

"Yeah well no one ties up and gags my Millie! Unless it's me and you ask me to…" said Max mischievously, walking his fingers along her shoulder.

"And he mentioned a police contact," continued Millie, making a show of deliberately ignoring him. "I'm sure it couldn't be anyone at Sun Hill."

"I agree, I couldn't think of anyone there either. Unless, of course it's that Will. I never liked him…"

"Oh God, here we go again! I slept with him once! ONCE! And straight away I decided that it was never going to happen again!"

"That bad was it?"

"No, I just knew we weren't meant to be a couple that's all. I mean, who wants to be known as Millie and Willie? Anyway, I'm not carrying on about your exes."

"Well you're very unlikely to have to meet any of them either, unlike me having to turn to Will today to see what had happened to you."

"My poor love, how you've suffered! Grrr, these stockings are driving me mad! I think I'm going to have to remove them."

"Here, let me help you with that…" said Max…

A little while later, the two hostages lay happily entwined in the darkness. Max watched as Millie nodded off to sleep for a while in his arms, and he kissed her red head affectionately. Her nose gave a soft little whistle while she slept. He looked at her in the half-light: the smooth creaminess of her skin with its feint freckles, her soft pinks lips, her long kissable neck, the dried blood around the cut on her cheek. He hoped it wouldn't scar her. He thought about her being undercover and how it put her in such danger. How could anybody feel secure loving either of them when the very nature of their work meant they might not make it home each night? He softly stroked his thumb against her lips.

She had said she loved him. And he of course had not said it back. Why not? Max asked himself. Did he love her? If he didn't love her, then what were these feelings of sheer delight in her company, of insatiable need for physical union with her and of unspeakable fear at the thought that what they did for a living could so cruelly take her from him forever, just like that? But then, how could someone get so fond of another person so quickly? It was ridiculous to think that your life would be so affected by losing them when you had only meet them a couple of years ago, and had really only known them a matter of days.

Max wished he could shake himself to make his mind concentrate on what was really important, but he didn't want to wake Millie. How were they going to get out of this damn cool room, and when would Jenson return? Max could see that Jenson was slightly unpredictable, and that their fate would largely depend on whether he was in a pro or anti Millie mood when they next encountered him. He was just as likely to come in and shoot them both on the spot as he was to leave them there entirely alone to die slowly of starvation.

Suddenly a light shone through one of the small windows in the corridor and Max heard the sound of a vehicle stopping.

"Millie," he said shaking her awake. "I think we have company."

Millie sleepily sprang out of bed and blindly felt for her stockings on the floor.

Once they had frantically organised themselves Max said, "They may not know they've lost the element of surprise so you stand that side of the door, and I'll stand the other. Even if there are too many of them to overpower, at least that way they can't just open the door and open fire."

They stood either side of the door, waiting. Max had protectively placed Millie on the side where she would be covered by the opened door. They could hear what they supposed to be footsteps through the thick walls. Then there was the sound of scraping metal, like a handle being moved. Then they felt air rush in at their feet. They looked down to see a basket had been slid through the bottom half of the door, which seemed to have a sizable hatch.

A voice said, "Mr Jenson thought you might be hungry. He says eat up, and he'll see you in a few hours." The hatch was slammed down quickly and the footsteps retreated.

Millie and Max opened the basket to see two pizzas, a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"I love you, Mr Jenson," said Millie dramatically, and immediately realised she'd done a very foolish thing. Max's ruminations while Millie was asleep had left him overcome with tender feelings for her, and her careless exclamation had halted any progress he had made in expressing them to her dead in its tracks. Millie thought she could almost feel the air freeze.

"There's a phrase that seems to come very easily to you," Max said icily. "You seem to bandy it about quite a bit."

"Max, it was just a stupid joke."

"Let's just eat," Max grabbed some pizza and turned his back to her.

Millie was somewhat grateful for the silence, because she didn't want to argue, and it meant she could wolf down her pizza as fast as she wanted to. She was starving.

While she was on her third slice, Max said, "So, did you sleep him?"

"Who?" mumbled Millie through her food.

"Jenson," replied Max, "He's obviously very fond of you."

"Oh for fuck sake!" This was the final straw for Millie. "If we were to continue seeing each other, are you going to ask that question about every man I encounter? Look, I know you have emotional _issues,_" Millie made sure she emphasised that word, "but if anyone should be feeling insecure, it's me. I'm the one putting myself on the line here. I'm the one who said 'those words' despite being pretty sure you wouldn't say them back. I'm the one who confessed to a room full of thugs - and you - that I'd had a thing for you even when you didn't know I existed. So, just refill my glass and hand me another piece of pizza, and stop feeling sorry for yourself!"

Max filled her wine glass and pushed the pizza box towards her. He let her devour her fourth piece of pizza completely before he said quietly, "I'm sorry."

Millie sighed, "I am too, I shouldn't have exploded like that at you, even though I still believe you deserved it!"

"I should know better than to push a hungry redhead hey?" said Max bravely.

Millie smiled. "Too right," she said, "And for your information, I never slept with Jenson, although some of the girls I worked with did things for him."

"Dare I ask what you mean by that?"

"Did things to each other. I think he's so used to outsourcing his work he even got other people to have his fun for him. God, I hope he doesn't have cameras in here…" Millie looked around suspiciously.

"So what do we think he's up to giving us the 5 star hostage treatment? Is this the last meal of the condemned?"

"Well, my feeling is no, he would have given us a better meal and not so cheap a wine if that were the case," said Millie looking at the bottle distainfully. "I think he's enjoying playing with us."

"Of course he gives the impression of being a bit unpredictable," said Max. Then once again lights shone through the windows and they heard the sound of an engine being cut. "And here we have possibly another example of this…"

"Back again so soon? Sounds like a few people this time."

"Too many to contemplate overpowering or escaping from," said Max.

"Maybe I'm stupid, but I'm not quite ready to surrender this case yet anyway."

"Well, let's stay calm, and stay together," Max gave Millie a quick but engulfing hug and a kiss. "Millie…" he said quietly, as they listened to the footsteps.

"Yes Max?" Millie said expectantly.

"I, I, um…let's never fight again."

Millie smiled tolerantly at him, because she realised that that was the best she would get tonight. "What about the make up sex?" she whispered back to him.

Max smiled at her and they waited for the door to open.


	20. Chapter 20

Apologies for this story being so long! I really should have put more planning into it.

**Roger and Grace **

While Neil and the others were searching Jenson's club, Grace was filling Roger in about Millie's assignment. He was surprised, and felt an almost paternal sense of pride to hear that Millie was undercover. He was informed that he would mostly be working alongside Grace on the aspects of the case that related specifically to the undercover operation. The first of the tasks was to meet the locksmith at Max's and have a proper look inside.

Roger was as surprised as Grace and Neil had been when they saw how impressive Max's house was. It had been a family home, left to Max and his two sisters, and as Max worked and had no family to support, he had managed to buy his sisters out at a time when the area had not been so expensive and the house more affordable. Since then it had proved a nice little investment for him, and would have made Millie's mother very happy if she were to see it.

The locksmith arrived and the alarm was taken care of and Roger and Grace nervously checked through the rooms, searching for signs of foul play and desperately hoping not to uncover anything that would embarrass themselves, Max or possibly Millie.

Thankfully they didn't stumble in on anything untoward, so they breathed a sigh of relief and checked things out more closely. Max had started to tidy up the mess he had awoken to that morning, so the dishes were cleared, the laptop shut down and the wine bottle disposed of. The material on Jenson he had uncovered had been placed in a file, but it didn't take Grace long to locate it and examine its contents. She really could kick herself for not getting to that printing in time! Max had obviously been looking into Jenson's affairs quite closely since then. Grace smiled sadly as she picked up the picture of Millie, which Max had included in amongst his Jenson paperwork.

Once this task was complete, they returned to the station, where Roger sat down with the CCTV footage of the area surrounding Jenson's club, and the cameras set up around Millie's house. His brow furrowed at the sight of Millie hurrying down the street and then the two men appearing either side of her and bustling her into the car. He then started checking the CCTV footage from around Jenson's club. At about 1530hrs there was a van parked in the laneway out the back. Roger didn't have a view of what was going on at the back of the van, but he could see Jenson and two other men coming out from the back of the van, looking around and then climbing into the van and driving away. The footage wasn't in itself enough to incriminate Jenson, but it was a start.

Roger started to view the footage from the streets surrounding the club, hoping to catch a glimpse of the van in motion. He managed to track it going down a major road.

"Grace," he called. "Come look at this."

"Excellent Roger, I'll call DI Manson and tell him we might have a lead. Then I'll come back and we can look through this footage together. Time might be of the essence here."

By the time Neil and the others had returned to the station, Roger and Grace had been able to piece together several miles of the van's journey. Grace had been studying maps trying to work out where they would head.

"Guv," she said when Neil appeared. She went over to him with a map in her hand. "We've plotted what we've been able to make out of the van's route so far on the board there. In the meantime, I've been checking out intelligence on Jenson and his interests, and I'm beginning to think that the van might be heading to this warehouse complex here," she showed Neil the map. "We've had the warehouse under observation as one that Jenson's vehicles seem to frequent. Parts of it are no longer in use, but it's vast and included silos, cold storage, that kind of thing."

"So you think it's a likely place to hold a hostage?"

At this point Smithy looked up from another computer in the room. "Neil, Grace," he called, "You might want to see this."

They came over and Smithy started to run the footage. "This footage is from the west entrance to the club. See here…"

"That's Max," said Neil frowning. "And now he's gone, suddenly."

"Look again. He's not gone, he's fallen to the ground. Now look at this." Smithy played the footage in slow motion, "See those two figures there? Looks like they're dragging him away…"

"...towards the laneway at the back of the club," concluded Neil. "Looks like they have two hostages, and one of them is injured."

At this moment Jack re-entered the room looking for an update. Once he was filled in, he, Neil, Grace and Smithy all walked over to check Roger's tracking of the van.

"Any progress?" asked Jack.

"Well, Sir, Grace's idea of the warehouse being their likely destination is looking more and more correct. They're continuing along that route."

"Right, Neil, get your team assembled again, and Smithy, organise a second team to go along with them. I"ll request an armed response unit to meet us there. We probably should let Eddie and his team know as well. Come on, we'd better get to that warehouse, pronto."

**Jenson**

Once the officers had left his premises, Jenson turned away from his viewing of Millie's performance and reached for his phone.

"Bill, it's me. Did you make that delivery I asked you to? Did they say thank you? No? How rude! That would be that Carter's influence. Glad I gave them a cheap wine! Anyway, I want you to give them a bit of a surprise and head on back there now. Jeff and a few others will see you there. We need to move our hostages again I think. May as well bring them back here for the moment. We've just been given a clean bill. Ciao."

Jenson hung up and looked at his TV screen again. "Amelia, Amelia…what are we going to do with you? If only things didn't get so busy here on Sunday I could think up something…special."

Jenson's ponderings were interrupted by the ringing of his phone. He listened and said, "Right. Thanks for that. I'm on my way now."

Jenson hurried out the door.


	21. Chapter 21

**Warning: This chapter contains coarse humour.**

**Storming the Warehouse **

Uniform, Neil's team and CO19 formed a convoy as they drove en masse to the warehouse. Neil's car led the charge, and with him in it were Grace, Stevie and Jo.

"How's Max getting himself abducted as well, eh?" Stevie said to Jo, who sat with her in the back seat.

"It must be love," Jo replied, then she spun her head as a van zoomed past them. "Was that our white van?" she asked.

"I saw it coming and checked the plates, and no, it wasn't," responded Grace. "But I'll call it in anyway, just in case. I got the number of the car behind it too. They seemed to be moving at the same pace." Grace went to speak into the radio.

"Guv," she said once the vehicles had been identified. "Both vehicles are registered to Jenson's company. What should we do?"

"Right, get on to the Super and see what he says. Tell him I think we should continue to where we're going and he can assign a second team to take care of the van."

"Yes Guv." The ever-efficient Grace was on to it.

When they arrived at the warehouse it certainly appeared completely deserted. CO19 did their search, and predictably announced it all clear. They indicated that there were signs of the recent habitation of one of the old cool rooms. Grace lagged behind to sort out the business with the departing van while the rest of Neil's team made their way down to Max and Millie's cell. They were accompanied by Eddie and his team, who had arrived there shortly after.

Eddie was instructing his charges as they entered the room. "OK, we're looking for signs of a struggle, or potentially of violence; blood, bits of teeth, human tissue, that type of thing. Also possible sexual activity, possibly involving a struggle, the usual bodily fluids, condom wrappers, condoms …"

"Sexual activity?" said Stevie. "Is that just because we think there's something going on between Max and Millie?"

"We don't know what means Jenson could have used to try to get information out of them," said Neil, who could see that Eddie, Stevie and Jo were enjoying this line of speculation far too much. "Watching a fellow officer get, um, tortured could very easily break you."

Grace entered the room. "Guv, they've managed to catch the van on camera and uniform and CO19 are on their way to intercept it now."

"Fingers crossed it contains Millie and Max, eh? Safe and sound," replied Neil.

Eddie and his team had bagged up the wine bottle and glasses, plus the pizza boxes and the dust sheets that made up Max and Millie's bed. Eddie shook out on of the dust sheets, and he chuckled to himself when he saw something shiny at his feet. "Um Jo," he called and handed her the wrapper.

Jo sighed and took the wrapper in her gloved hand. "I'd better have a look at it I suppose," and examined it, and a big smile appeared on her face. "Hey Stevie, look at this," she said and handed it to Stevie.

Stevie read the words 'extra large' on the wrapper. "Thank God,' she said, "I was beginning to think Millie had lost her mind for sleeping with Max. Now I know she has a good reason."

**The Hostages**

The sound of footsteps became louder and louder. Max was trying to deal with sickening feelings of dread that he felt were almost choking him. Here they were in a potentially life and death situation, and he had to rely on Millie's reactions to keep her safe. Having just been treated to a show of her temper, he worried that she might react that strongly to something their kidnappers might do. He didn't believe they would waste any time negotiating with her, they would just shoot. And then there was the 'three little words' issue. She said she had voiced them 'just in case they get killed'. Shouldn't he reciprocate? Why were the words sticking in his throat? How would she feel if she died never having heard them from him?

Millie could see that Max's mind was ticking over, and she wished he would just relax. She was pretty sure of the intensity of his feelings for her, and took it quite literally when he said it was 'just not the type of thing' he said. She looked over at him.

"Stand right beside the door Millie," he said. He was ready to spring like a cat once the door opened.

"And have the door swing open and break my nose you mean?" asked Millie.

_Damn, I hadn't thought of that_, thought Max.

"I think they're here…" hissed Millie, trying to ensure only Max could hear her.

The door opened and six of Jenson's goons burst in. They didn't waste any time, they simply launched onto Millie and Max and overpowered them.

"You're coming with us," one of them said. "And seeing Mr Jenson was kind enough to feed you, he asked you to come quietly."

Max and Millie were led from the room, having each been assigned two of the thugs. It was of course night time by now, and the building was in darkness, except for the light of the torches in the hands of the other two of Jenson's men. Eventually they reached the outside and were bundled once again into a white van. They moved towards each other and Max put his arms around Millie and breathed a sigh of relief.

The van started to move.

"Did you see much this time? Do you think you've been there before?" Max asked Millie.

"No, Jenson never took me on any joyrides. But I think I know where we are now. This is one of Jenson's properties. I don't think it's used much these days, as is pretty obvious from our little stay there."

"From the material I'd seen on Jenson, it was vaguely familiar to me too. So what do you reckon Jenson has in store for us now, Amelia? And, why 'Amelia' by the way."

"You do realise, Max, that Amelia is actually my name? I thought everyone at work knew that."

Max looked slightly ashamed that once again he hadn't bother to notice something about Mille from work that everybody else knew. "I would have thought Millie was short for Millicent or Mildred."

"Ugh, I wouldn't let anyone know my real name if it were either of those. So, is Max short for anything? Maximilian, Maxim, Maxwell, or Agent 86 perhaps? You know, I have been looking for an excuse this whole time to shake my head at you and say 'Oh, Max!'".

"Mmm, that's a new one," said Max sarcastically. "And my name is my secret. But if I'm Maxwell Smart, you are definitely my 99. It's certainly what I'd rate you as a lover." He moved in closer to her.

"What did I lose a point for?" asked Millie indignantly, feigning rejection.

Max softly stroked her face and then whispered into her ear, "For not actually being in the process of making love to me right now. Not that it's actually possible at the moment, but just bear in mind that's when you're the perfect 100."

Millie pulled herself close to Max and nipped his lip gently with her teeth. "Oh Max," she purred. "I may not be physically making love to you, but mentally? Hammer and tongs! Who knew you had such a silver tongue?"

Max's mouth responded to hers with similar play. "Let me tell you if the circumstances were different right now, my silver tongue would be just about to …Shh! Wait! What's that sound?"

"Police sirens?" said Millie. _Nice timing guys!_ she thought ungratefully.

The van screeched to a halt. The armed unit yelled its caution.

"Maybe I can make good that promise sooner than I thought," said Max smiling at her. _Thank God,_ he thought, _They can't get to us from inside the van, the police will beat them to us. We've got through it! She's safe! _"Now I think we'd better not be found like this when they open the van."

"Right," said Millie, and pulled herself away.

They could hear the front doors of the van open, and the sound of people being thrown against the side of the van, and then the clicking of handcuffs. Max smiled to himself again, convinced that from here nothing else could go wrong.


	22. Chapter 22

**Something Else Goes Wrong**

_Curtis Jenson was driving through London when in his rearview mirror he saw flashing lights and then heard the sound of sirens. He was relieved to see that instead of it being a police car pulling him over, it seemed to be several vehicles and they were intent on passing him. He wondered if they were on their way to intercept the van containing his two hostages, as his tip off had claimed. Once they had past him, he decided to follow them. _

_ When they stopped Jenson parked his car in a nearby lane, locked it, and got closer to the scene, making sure he remained in the shadows. His hand reached into his pocket to double check that he had his gun at the ready. _

The back of the van opened and the armed officer checked the scene inside. The next thing Max and Millie knew Smithy was in front of them, smiling and holding out his hand to Millie to pull her up. He patted her upper arm in a brotherly fashion, and left her to be engulfed by Nate and Leon, who were standing behind him. Smithy shook Max's hand as he emerged and said, "I hope she didn't cause you too much trouble," to which Max responded, "I hardly even knew she was there." Smithy didn't believe him for a second!

"Is that guy smoking over there?" Millie asked. "I'd kill for a cigarette. I'm sure my voice can stand it, and I suspect I might have lost my singing job anyway…" She wandered off to a group of CO19 officers who were standing on the street corner.

"Honestly," said Leon, shaking his head as he watched her walk off. "You leave the force because you were kidnapped and what happens, you get kidnapped as a civilian almost exactly a year later. What are the odds?"

"I hope it's not an annual thing," added Nate.

Max reverted to childhood habits and made a hasty sign of the cross, hoping it went unseen in the darkness, "Very funny, but I'm sure that's it in terms of abduction for Millie," he said, doing his best to pretend he could see the joke.

"Still, I bet it wasn't as bad for you, having a damsel in distress clinging to you in the darkness, crying on your shoulder…" Nate nudged Max.

Max wasn't quite sure whether to discipline Nate or join in the blokiness. He just gave a slight smile.

"Hey, over here you two," Smithy directed Nate and Leon in the direction of their prisoners. "Well," Smithy was addressing Max, "No Jenson in that lot, unfortunately."

"No, he's much too clever, I think," replied Max, watching Millie enthusiastically draw back on her botted cigarette, pleased to see she wasn't chatting to anyone. He knew what those CO19 guys were like! "But not so clever as to not fall for Millie's charms. He just adores her!"

"We all do, mate," Smithy winked at Max, then realised how that sounded. "In the most respectful way of course."

"Of course," Max smiled back. He decided to chat with Smithy as one supervising officer to another. "I must say I've been very impressed to see Millie's ability to cope in a crisis. It's a good thing you all talked her into staying."

"Did we?" Smithy wasn't sure if the cat was well and truly out of the bag about Millie's status.

"She told me, Dale, she had to. We had to operate as a team." Max looked up and noticed Millie had moved. He looked to see where she'd wandered off to.

"Just so you know, no one else other than you and Roger have been told, OK?" Smithy responded.

"Smithy," said Max blankly. "Can you see Millie?"

"Sure mate, she's just over…now where is she?"

_Millie was given a cigarette and she decided to stand a little off by herself so she could enjoy it in peace. She drew back lustily and released the white clouds into the air. God that was good. Better than sex (with anyone but Max, she thought with a fond smile). She peered down her nose to watch the pure white cylinder turn to little sparks of pink and orange at its end, as tiny flakes of grey ash descended from her fingers and into the air. She threw her hair back, closed her eyes and shook her head gently as she exhaled the puffs of smoke into the dark night. She was about to take another puff when a familiar face appeared from the smoke before her._

_ "Hello Amelia," it said. "Would you like to come with me?"_

_ "Well, no," she replied. "Don't you think you're being a little unwise?"_

_ "You're a music fan, don't you know that song about the rules not applying to a man with a gun?" Jenson pulled the gun from his pocket and waved it at her. Millie looked over at the commotion going on only feet away, all those police officers and her own lover, and none of them noticing what was going on. "Look up now Max", she tried to telepathise, but someone was blocking Max's view of her. Then she remembered that her assignment had been to get Jenson, and she hadn't completed it yet._

_ "OK," she replied. "Where are we going?"_

_ "My car is down here," Jenson put his arm around her and they wandered down the lane and were quickly out of sight. They got into Jenson's car, which just drove off into the night…_

Max and Smithy ran over to the spot where Millie had been standing. All that was there was the dropped cigarette, still burning. They looked around, ran down the lane and there was nothing.

"Nate, Leon, have you seen Millie?" Smithy yelled. They both shook their heads, and the panic spread to them as well. Suddenly everyone was looking and it was soon ascertained that Millie was no where to be found.

Smithy got onto his radio and onto Jack Meadows as quickly as he could. Max sat himself down on a nearby stone step and buried his face into his hands.

**The Race to Save Millie**

Max sat in the front seat beside Smithy, chewing on his thumb nail and staring out the window as they drove back to Sun Hill. There was nothing more they could do at the scene. They had searched high and low for Millie, and all they could do now was regroup at the station and plan their next move.

Smithy watched Max anxiously out of the corner of his eye, and wondered if he should try talking to him. From what he could see, Max was deep in thought. Smithy reflected that Max was probably dog tired too after the events of the day, so he let him be. He wondered if it were time for Max to just go home and leave it to those members of the team who were more awake and less involved, but he figured that was Neil and Jack's decision to make.

Max was indeed deep in thought - self-recriminating, torturous thought; going over again and again the few moments he had taken his eye off Millie and wondering what had happened to her. Had she just run off? This was highly unlikely, but was still a possibility. If she had been taken again, who was responsible? Most likely Jenson of course, and what was Jenson's mood like now? Was Millie safe, scared, still alive even? And was she feeling he had deserted her? What tortured Max the most was knowing that he had ample time to tell her what he felt, but he didn't. What if she died thinking he didn't care?

Max and Smithy pulled into the station at the same time as Neil's party returned from the warehouse. They hadn't heard the update about Millie. Neil was in fact just on his phone now, explaining to Jack that he was downstairs and was on his way up to see him.

Jo slapped Max chummily on the back, "Hey there, big fella! Welcome back!"

Max was aware of Stevie trying to suppress laughter behind them. He looked quizzically at Jo. He was only half paying attention to her.

"Where's Millie?" asked Jo, her face falling as she sensed Max wasn't really in a joking mood.

"Gone," said Max simply. He walked ahead without paying them any further attention.

"Gone?" said Stevie. "What does he mean?"

Smithy filled in the gaps. "She was retrieved from the van, then she vanished again. We have no idea where she is."

"Poor Max, I feel awful now," said Jo.

Max went inside and tried to ignore all of the curious eyes that followed him through the doors and upstairs to CID. Just about everyone at the station had been speculating about Max and Millie's relationship since they were both taken, and now Millie had gone again everyone was in fear of Max's reaction. He sat numbly at his desk, and stared into space.

Jo came through the door and walked up behind him, put her arm around his shoulders and hugged him. "We're all putting 100% into finding Millie," she said.

Stevie appeared in front of him and put her hand on his knee, "Yeah, we all love Millie, Max."

Neil came through the doors on his way back from visiting Jack, and saw Max sitting there. He walked up to him and said gently, "Will you come into my office now Max."

Max obeyed. He sat down at Neil's desk.

"Max," said Neil. "You look dreadful and the Super thinks you should go home."

"No way," replied Max stubbornly.

"I knew you'd say that," replied Neil. "And I know you're not likely to rest until we've recovered Millie, are you?"

"No."

"That's why I told the Super I would support you if you insisted on staying on this case. I trust your professionalism Max. I know you are emotionally very close to this case, but I think in the case of an officer such as yourself, that can often be a good thing." There was a knock at the door. It was Roger. "Come in." said Neil

"Guv, we've found something on the CCTV footage of the area. Smithy says you better come have a look."

Max and Neil rose up from their chairs and followed Roger downstairs. The footage showed Millie appearing out a laneway, being held and guided into a nearby car by Jenson.

"That was done with very little fuss," remarked Neil.

"I reckon Millie's determined to see her assignment through to the end," responded Max gloomily. "And that was Jenson giving her the chance to do it."

"Max," said Roger, whose opinion of Max had changed dramatically in the last 24 hours. "We've been here before, remember? Millie handled it then, and I know she'll handle it now."

"You're right," replied Max. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket to say he had a text. He didn't recognise the number, but the text caused him to think twice. It simply read 'PIG'.

Neil saw the confused look on Max's face. "What is it Max?" he asked.

"Just a very weird text. All it says is 'PIG'. I wonder if it's a reference to my being a police officer?"

"Any idea who sent it?"

"None."

"Could it be…" Roger started.

"Millie?" said Max hopefully. "Hang on, Millie mentioned that Jenson had a police informant. Do you think it's referring to that?"

"Let's see who the number belongs to. Perhaps it can lead us to the informant," said Neil.

"And perhaps it can lead us to Millie," said Roger, patting Max's shoulder reassuringly.

Neil spoke. "OK Roger, you get that phone number identified and get a list of recent call. I'll see about getting a briefing room organised. Now Max." Neil continued. " Go splash some water on your face, eat, grab a coffee and then we'll set to work finding Millie. I have every faith in Millie. I wouldn't have agreed to give her this assignment if I didn't think she could cope."

Max nodded and Neil was pleased to see the numbed looked had gone from Max's face and been replaced by his usual edgy eagerness to jump back into action.


	23. Chapter 23

**Jenson and Millie**

Millie sat in the car and looked out at the same city skyline that Max stared at from his seat beside Smithy. She felt the adrenaline rush. How she loved the city at night! The noises, the people, the bite of the cold night air on your face, the way the lights strobed as you drove by them at speed. She felt guilty about the exhilaration it made her feel. She knew Max would be worried. She knew she probably put herself in danger again. But she knew she just had to see this assignment through. And she felt on top of the world. She was sure she would soon see Max again, because she was sure she would succeed.

"So where are you taking me?" Millie asked Curtis Jenson.

"Not exactly sure yet. I seem to be a few helpers short after the little incident we just witnessed. I was going to return to the club – I have some business to see to there – but I don't think that's on the cards now."

"You could just give yourself up to me now you know? Spare us all a lot of bother. Let us all catch up on some sleep."

"Sleep! Don't pretend that's what you're keen to get back to, you and your Neanderthal lover boy. What do you see in that thug anyway? You're a bright, well brought up girl, you could have someone smart and cultured. Is he literate? Can he choose a good wine?"

Millie hesitated. "I don't know what he knows about wine or culture, but he's not stupid. Anyway, I'd rather someone who's a bit relaxed than a snob."

Jenson sighed. "Oh Amelia, I know! The heart - or whatever part of your anatomy you're listening to - wants what it wants. You really are such a nice girl, my dear. You deserve to be happy, have a nice home and husband, a couple of children I'm so sorry it had to end like this."

Millie wished he wasn't talking like this while they were on a bridge.

"What are you going to do to me, Mr Jenson?"

"Well obviously I'm going to have to do something! I haven't quite decided what yet."

Millie tried again. "You could just give yourself up you know. Your lackeys have probably revealed all by now trying to save their own skins."

"I doubt that very much, dear. They are all too well aware of the consequences. I am very organised, and I have very loyal friends."

"Of course." Millie leant her elbow on the window and gazed out at the city lights. She wished Jenson weren't so unpredictable. It made it difficult to plan her next move.

They passed a few more minutes in silence, and then Jenson pressed the button on a remote and turned the car into an underground parking complex. Jenson pulled into a parking spot and stopped the car.

"Get out, my dear," Jenson undid his own seat belt and opened his door.

Millie did what she was told. She always had bad feelings about car parks like this, so she moved very warily. Jenson walked around to her side of the car and grabbed her by the arm.

"No need to worry yet, dear. This is where I live. You and I are going to have a glass of wine while I think."

Jenson led Millie to the lift and they travelled up to the penthouse. They went into a swanky, modern apartment that looked ready for a magazine photo shoot. It wasn't at all to Millie's taste, but she couldn't help thinking to herself _So crime does pay after all_.

On walking into the apartment Jenson called "Puss puss puss", and a great big fluffy grey cat appeared and smooched up against him. He bent down to pat the animal but was distracted by the ringing of his phone. He answered it, looked over at Millie and wandered to the other end of the enormous room in an effort to be out of her hearing. Millie sat and patted the cat, straining to listen in over the sound of its purring.

"Yes… Uh huh, all of them… I knew it wouldn't be long before they missed her, especially Carter…Not sure yet…If you could just let me know…I don't know, won't you hear it on those radios of yours? Right, thanks."

Jenson snapped his phone shut and returned to Millie and his cat. Millie noticed he seemed somehow more preoccupied than before. He sat, placed the phone on the coffee table and clicked his fingers for his cat. Then her turned to Millie and smiled at her.

"Now, wine for us, and fish for my Cleo. Come on darling."

Jenson picked up the grey beast and carried her and placed her at her bowl on the bench. He turned to open his fridge, and clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"No food," he said to Millie and walked into his pantry, presumably to retrieve some.

Millie wasted no time. She grabbed the phone and entered Max's number. She desperately thought of a way to let Max know what was happening in the quietest and quickest way possible. She had to remind Max of this police contact of Jenson's. She typed the only word she could think of; 'PIG' and sent the text.

Jenson appeared from the pantry and served Cleo's food. He had also grabbed a bottle of wine, which he opened and poured into two glasses. He came back and sat beside Millie.

"Cheers, my dear. What a bad day it's been for both of us. But I always think you should finish a bad day off with a good wine."

Millie smiled in acknowledgment, and reflected on how in some ways it had been a really good day for her. Max had forgiven her, and their relationship had moved onto a whole new level. She had no idea where it would go from here, or even if she would ever see Max again. She had absolutely no idea what Jenson was going to do.

Jenson continued. "And of course, from now on this day will be an anniversary, an anniversary of a death. Who'd have thought that today I would be betrayed and failed by so many? Everyone except Bill Palmer in fact. First, my newest friend, you, betrayed me, by not telling me you were - or are, or whatever – a police officer, then you failed my expectations of you by fucking that low-bred, nostril flaring detective sergeant. Then my men fail me by getting caught, and now, now they are betraying me to the police. Yes, my dear, singing like canaries they are apparently. Unfortunate for you, Amelia, that you're the only one here."

Jenson put his wine down on the table, reached in his pocket and pulled out his gun. Millie felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. But Jenson continued his soliloquy, looking not at Millie, but at the gun.

"I love my lifestyle. I love my clubs and my lovely singers, the good food and wine. I love my apartment, my Cleo. Most of all, I love the power. And now today I find that I'm…impotent," Jenson gave a little laugh to himself. "So, what do I do now?"

At this point he looked up again at Millie. She prepared herself for whatever was coming next. She sat on the edge of the seat, hoping desperately she'd be ready to do whatever was necessary when the time came.

A short time later, Cleo, who had curled herself up on the couch beside her master after her feed, sprang into the air and ran into the bedroom as the sound of a gun shot rang out from Jenson's penthouse.

**Max's Dream**

PC Ben Gayle walked into the yard at Sun Hill police station and saw DC Will Fletcher getting out of his car.

"What are you doing here?" asked Ben, holding out his hand to shake Will's.

"Did you think I would miss out on a Millie kidnapping, just because I've moved to another station?" ask Will. It was a weak joke, but his concern from Millie meant he was having trouble holding it together as it was.

"Yeah," replied Ben. "I heard about that. This is just the start of my shift. If we only meet when Millie gets abducted, I hope I never lay eyes on you again mate."

"I couldn't agree more, and I'm not just saying that because you're an ugly bastard," replied Will.

Ben and Will walked into the briefing room together. A few people slapped Will on the arm as a welcome, but it was obvious no one's heart was really in it. They were all too absorbed in what Jack Meadows was explaining to them at the front of the room. He stood at the board beside Max and Neil, with Grace and Smithy sitting close by.

"OK everyone. I think it's time for us to explain now that PC Millie Brown has not actually left the force, she has been working undercover to spy on Jenson at his club." A murmur rose up around the room. "It seems that her cover has been blown. She and DS Carter were kidnapped and released when their kidnappers were intercepted moving them from one hideout to another. Unfortunately, Millie has been taken again, this time apparently by Curtis Jenson acting alone."

Jack nodded to Grace, who continued. "Millie was able to form a real rapport with Jenson during the time she worked with him, so his discovery that she was a copper was seen by Jenson as a real betrayal. Jenson is an egoist, and as such sees himself as above the rules. He also has a volatile temperament, so the risk of his lashing out at Millie is very real." The mood of the room became even more somber.

Max took over. "A short time ago I received a text from PC Brown that said only one word, 'PIG'." The gravity of the situation prevented even Jo and Stevie making a joke about that. "Roger is currently finding out details of where the text was sent from, who owns the number etc and we're hoping to use this to locate Millie."

As if on cue, Roger entered the room. Max was relieved to see the expression of hope on his face.

"Guv," said Roger addressing Jack. "It appears that the phone used to send that text is registered to Curtis Jenson. It's a private phone, not a business one. Also, they've traced the location of the call to a block of flats. And the penthouse of those flats is Jenson's home address."

The officers assembled in the room all prepared to move in expectation of the order to head towards Jenson's flat. They were hushed by Grace, who stood up and started to talk.

"Guv, this actually concerns me. Jenson is meticulous and organised. It's too sloppy a style for him to simply take Millie to his flat, a place that's readily identifiable as his. Quite frankly, I think he's lost his grip, and I am really, really concerned for Millie's safety now. He's very likely to lash out without much thought."

Jack looked soberly at Grace as he quickly pondered the next move. "Right Neil, you and Max take a team to the flats, and we'll get a CO19 unit to accompany you."

Will approached Jack, "Guv, I know I'm not strictly speaking part of the team anymore, but I'd like to be involved in finding Millie."

Jack considered this for a moment. "OK, go ahead. I'll square it with your station."

Neil, Max, Will and their team moved to get fitted up for their raid. Neil grabbed Max's arm and said, "Max, I'll let you lead this one. But I'm here to support you, and I will step in if I think your judgment's clouded."

"Guv," Max nodded in appreciation.

He turned to see Will standing before him. "We'll get her back, mate," said Will to Max. The two men faced each other and shook hands.

_CO19 and a few officers from Sun Hill surrounded Jenson's block of flats while the Hostage Negotiator attempted to make contact with the people in the penthouse. He got no reply. Max gave the order and CO19 stormed into the flat._

"_All clear!" someone called. Max, Ben, Will and the rest of the officers entered the flat._

"_That's Millie's jacket," Ben said. Max moved it and was horrified to find the area underneath it covered in blood._

"_In here Sir," someone called from the kitchen._

Max momentarily froze as he realised this was all too familiar. It was exactly as it had happened in his dream…


	24. Chapter 24

**Only one more chapter after this one! Thank you all for your attention.**

**What Actually Happened**

Jenson continued. "Should I kill you? I've been meaning to do that all day. You have no idea how much I wanted to get you back. Mind you I wanted to kill Carter more, but that was really because I find him so irritating. But I needed each of you to make the other suffer. Anyway, at this point, what good would killing you do? And apart from that, I do really like you my dear. You're a class act. So now, I just don't see the point in killing you. Instead, I am going to do this. Good bye Amelia."

Millie realised what Jenson was doing just as he was about to put the gun into his mouth. In a split she second sprang and managed to reach across and knock the gun just enough for the bullet to get Jenson in the shoulder. Cleo got up and ran away. As Jenson started to slouch off his seat and onto the floor, he looked first at the blood streaming down onto his chest and then up at Millie.

"Amelia," he said, a bewildered look on this face. "What have you done?"

"Is it really worth dying for, Mr Jenson?" Millie asked. She had tears in her eyes. She felt a bit stupid, but on some level she couldn't help but like Curtis Jenson. She ripped off her jacket and held it on the wound, attempting to stem the flow of blood.

"Yes, it is. I can't live without my lifestyle. I can't go to prison. I can't…" here Jenson screwed up his face, "_share a cell!_" This horrific thought seemed to give him momentary strength. He pushed Millie away from him and she fell to the floor backwards. He got himself to his knees and crawled across the floor and onto the floor of his kitchen. He made his way to the pantry before he collapsed unconscious from loss of blood.

Millie scrambled to get to her feet and ran after him. She ran onto the blood covered tiles of the kitchen and pantry, skidded on the floor and whacked her head on one of the pantry's shelves. She fell unconscious onto the floor beside Jenson.

_Max, Ben, Will and the rest of the officers entered the flat._

"_That's Millie's jacket," Ben said. Max moved it and was horrified to find the area underneath it covered in blood._

"_In here Sir," someone called from the kitchen._

Max shook himself and hurried to the kitchen. As he made his way he saw Millie's black stockinged legs lying on the floor. He put himself into auto-pilot and kept moving towards her. He dropped down on his knees beside her and put his head to her chest. As he did so her felt her breath on his head.

"She's alive!" he announced. "I think she's just hit her head." He dragged Millie out of the pantry so the paramedics had more room to work on Jenson.

"Millie!" Will knelt opposite Max and gently tried to slap Millie into consciousness. "Come on Millie, come back to us. Max and I are here."

Max became aware of Neil Manson standing over him. Then Millie's eye lids started to flutter, and everything else in the room seemed to Max to have vanished.

"Millie," whispered Max softly as her eyes opened and she smiled weakly at him.

Will and Neil looked at each other and smiled.

"Max," Neil said. "Let the paramedics have a look at Millie and then you'd better go with them when they take her to hospital."

"OK, Guv," Max was grateful, because he knew Neil had deliberately given him a legitimate work-related reason to stay with Millie. He let the paramedics raise her onto a trolley, and then walked beside it as they took her down in the lift.

Millie looked up at him. "What happened?" she asked. "I haven't been shot have I? If I have, it's not so bad…"

"No, you're not shot. You slipped in Jenson's blood and hit your head, you klutz." The paramedics gave each other a knowing look and turned away as Max stroked Millie's face.

The lift doors opened into the carpark, and Max stepped away as a few familiar faces beamed to see Millie emerge injured by alive. Grace raced forward and grabbed Millie's hands.

"Good job, Millie," she said. "I expect to be polishing off those 5 bottles of wine with you some time really soon."

"We did it, partner," Millie replied with a smile, squeezing Grace's hand. She could see that Grace felt she hadn't done a good enough job of ensuring her safety, and that she was beating herself up over it.

Neil, Grace and Will got into the car and made their way back to the station, while the ambulance doors closed behind Max and Millie. Once they had closed, Max took Millie's hand and lay his head down beside her on the stretcher. Then something occurred to him.

He looked at the paramedic, who once again obligingly looked the other way.

"Millie," he said looking intently - yet nervously - at her, 'You know don't you, that I lo…"

Millie cut him off. "I know Max," she said.

Max looked perplexed, "I'm glad you know, but I want to say it. I lo…"

Millie was enjoying getting a reaction far too much. "No, I insist. I know how hard it is for you to say those words, so I'm sparing you the trouble and telling you that I know!"

Max smiled at her, and this time took the precaution of putting his hand over her mouth, albeit gently because she was after all, injured. "Millie Brown, I am going to get this out if I have to smother you. I," he felt Millie's teeth starting to sink into his hand, but he pressed his hand down harder, "LOVE," he smiled triumphantly at getting that word out, while Millie voiced her protest in vain under the pressure of his hand, "You! Ha, I said it, I love you." Millie bit harder. "Look at that, I said it again. Should I try for a third time?"

"Don't," said the paramedic. "I don't want to have to be bandaging up your hand as well as looking after her."

Max smiled, removed his hand from Millie's mouth, and kissed her.

**Back at the Sun Hill**

Neil Manson sat at his desk in his usual pose. He put his hands behind his head and contemplated the events of the day. They had really snatched victory right from the jaws of defeat. Just when it looked like the whole undercover operation would fail, everything had fallen into place. They had even managed to expose Jenson's police informant through tracing his calls from Jenson's phone. The informant and Jenson's henchmen were indeed singing like canaries, and it looked like Jenson's criminal empire was no more.

Jack knocked on his door. "What a day eh? Still, it all worked out in the end. And it looks like the information from Jenson's cronies could set us up for a much larger operation in the near future."

"Indeed," replied Neil. "They've certainly told us a lot about Jenson's contacts and suppliers. And I'm beginning to suspect the police involvement goes a lot deeper than just the one rogue sergeant."

"Looks that way. Well, well done to you, and pass on my congratulations to PC Brown if you see her. Presuming she has decided to remain as PC Brown, of course."

"Yeah, I'm not sure what she's doing yet."

"I think Max would be a happier man now if she quit. I've never seen him as shaken as he was today when Jenson took Millie. Do you think it affected his handling of things today?"

Neil knew where this was going. "Only in a positive way. Max can be a bit detached. He's the type of guy that needs to be slapped in the face a few times for things to get through to him. I think he can only benefit as an officer from the concern he showed today for Millie."

"Well Neil, you and I have different ideas on intra-office relationships..."

"We do."

"As history has shown. Well, let's save this for another day. Night Neil."

"Night Sir."

Neil wondered what was going to happen now with Max and Millie. He remembered Max's expressions today, first the terror on his face when he saw Millie's blood-soaked jacket, then the almost tearful joy when Millie looked up and smiled at him. Was he wrong to want to encourage this? He truly believed each of them could benefit from the other: Max by learning from Millie how to show a bit more heart, Millie from adopting a bit more of Max's detachment. No matter what Jack thought, Neil didn't think that office relationships necessarily always ended in disaster.

Neil's ponderings were disturbed by Grace knocking on the door.

"Guv," she said. "Just thought I'd let you know that Jenson died on the operating table. His heart gave out. Apparently it wasn't too good anyway, probably from too much of the high life."

Neil was surprised. "But he looked so fit!"

"I suppose you never can tell," replied Grace.

Neil sighed. "Millie will be upset," he said. "Very compassionate girl, our Millie. Not one to take joy in anyone's suffering."

"True. Well, good night Guv," Grace started to walk away.

"Grace," Neil called after her.

Grace's head appeared around the door again. "Yes Guv."

"Well done on the case by the way."

"Thank God it all worked out in the end, Sir." She waited a moment and then started to leave.

Neil sat for a moment, then called out again. "Grace."

Grace appeared again, "Guv?" she said.

"It's been a long day. Do you, would you like to get dinner?"

Grace smiled, "You mean breakfast, Sir."

Neil was momentarily stunned by her response and wondered what she was getting at. Then he looked out the window and noticed the sun rising.

He smiled back at her, "Yes," he said standing up and grabbing his coat. "I mean breakfast. So, is that a yes and are you ready?"

"I'll just grab my coat," replied Grace.


	25. Chapter 25

OK, this is it, people. Thanks so much for reading. I have learnt a lot about writing after a very long break. So thanks for the confidence boost!

Now I have 3 options:

a/ go back to being a good wife and mother and give my husband a break from raising our daughter single handedly

b/ continue the Mallie from where this leaves off

c/ start their romance again as if this story was never written

Of course, I know you all have lives too, but any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Fi xx

**Epilogue Part 1:**

Grace, Jo and Stevie were all sitting at their desks one day about a week after the conclusion of the Jenson case. Something Jo read in an internal email made her smile.

"Now isn't that interesting?" she remarked to the room. "DS Carter is taking a month's holiday. Now, I heard just today that a certain PC Millie Brown is doing the same thing. Coincidence do you think?"

Eddie entered the room just in time to hear her.

"No such thing as coincidence Jo. Everything has an explanation," replied Eddie.

"So what's your explanation then?" asked Jo.

"Lerrrve," said Eddie. "Big and funky."

"Big? Ah ha, I'd forgotten about our discovery about Max," said Stevie with a grin.

"That's right, I never told you did I?" said Eddie. "That condom wrapper we discovered? Nothing to do with Max and Millie. Had someone else's DNA on it all together."

"Oh dear. Who's going to tell Max and Millie that someone else had been shagging in their love nest?" asked Jo with a laugh.

"Oh I will." said Stevie. "But still, I am a bit sad. Millie is obviously insane, after all."

"Come on you lot, we've all got work to do," Grace piped up from her corner. She then covered her face to hide a smile.

**Epilogue Part 2:**

Millie stamped her foot, "Max!" she said. "Come on, we'll be late! We have a lot to do today."

A grumpy Max appeared from the bedroom. Millie had to smother a laugh at the sight of him in shorts. "I don't see why we can't just order breakfast up here and have it in bed. And then lunch in bed. And dinner in bed…"

"Because," Millie walked over to him and grabbed him by the wrist and started to pull him out the door, "we are here to experience another culture. You don't come to the South of France to spend all day in your hotel room. You come here to explore."

"I'm perfectly happy to just stay in the room exploring the South of Millie," Max muttered as Millie led him down the staircase holding his hand.

Millie smiled at him before they entered the dining room. "Later darling, later," she said kissing his forehead.

They found a table and sat. Max maintained his sulky expression, and Millie rolled her eyes.

The waiter approached and smiled. "Madam," he said.

"Mademoiselle," Millie corrected him with what Max regarded as far too charming a smile. "Merci," she said as the waiter handed her a menu and walked away.

"Trollop," said Max, with a twinkle in his eye. "I saw you making eyes at him."

"He was very cute though - so young - and probably sexually inexhaustible."

"That's so unfair!" said Max indignantly. "You're the one who separated us from the privacy of the hotel room." He stood up and grabbed Millie's arm. "Come on, I'll show you who's sexually inexhaustible."

"Behave yourself, or when he comes back I'll refer to you as _mon frere_." Millie smiled and pushed him back into his chair.

"By the way, my mother phoned while you were in the shower. Wondered why I suddenly had a piano in my house."

"And what did you tell her?" asked Millie.

"Um, that I was minding it for a friend…"

"Coward!" said Millie.

"What do I tell her then?"

"The truth; that your lover is staying with you until she finds a new flat."

"I don't see why you have to leave…"

"Max, we don't want to rush into things do we? I know this relationship business is all new to you, but I don't want to find out one day that the Jenson affair is the only reason we ever got together, OK?"

"You know it's not. Well, I do anyway," said Max looking slightly wounded.

"I know too," she reached over squeezed his knee. "I just want to make sure."

"Anyway, the sex was far more my motivation than Jenson, oww! You're pinching me!"

"Sorry, it was an accident. And did your mother mention how Cleo is settling in with her?"

"That's working really well. I can't understand why that cat took to her so immediately, but just refused to bond with you."

"You pooh poohed my theory about cats and witches, but you have to admit..."

"How dare you! My sainted mother!"

"OK, I'm sorry, you know I was joking," said Millie. "Castrating old hag..." she muttered behind her menu.

"Did you say something, my love?"

"No I just coughed. Ah, the waiter's coming back now, so be nice to him. And behave!"

"Monsieur, Mademoiselle," the waiter said. "You will be pleased to know that today we have for you a complete cooked English breakfast."

"Great!" said Millie. Then something occurred to her. "Are you sure you have plenty of sausages?" she asked.

The waiter looked surprised, "Of course!"

"Don't worry about that, Millie," said Max loudly. "Whenever you have the need, you know I'll always give you my sau..."

Millie covered his mouth with her hand. "Don't say it," she said.


End file.
